The University of Ibadan (UI) has been ranked as the best university in Nigeria in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026. According to the rankings published on THE’s website, UI is placed between 801 and 1,000 globally, a position it last held in 2023. The ranking assessed 2,191 institutions from 115 countries based on 18 performance indicators across five key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook.
The University of Ibadan’s emergence as the best university in Nigeria is a testament to its commitment to academic excellence and research quality. UI dethroned Covenant University, which held the top spot in 2024 and 2025. The University of Lagos and Bayero University followed UI in the rankings, securing second and third positions in Nigeria, respectively.
Key Highlights of the Rankings
- Global Representation: The rankings featured 2,191 institutions from 115 countries.
- Research Output: Over 18.7 million research publications and 174.9 million citations were analyzed.
- Scholarly Input: Survey responses were collected from over 108,000 scholars globally.
- Nigerian Universities: 51 institutions were featured, with only UI and UNILAG ranked between 801-1000 globally.
Other Top Nigerian Universities
The rankings also highlighted the strengths of individual institutions. Some notable mentions include:
- UNILAG: Ranked highest in quality research with a score of 66.7.
- BUK: Ranked best in international outlook.
- Covenant University: Scored highest in industry, indicating its strong connection to industries.
The THE World University Rankings provide a comprehensive assessment of universities globally, and UI’s emergence as the top university in Nigeria is a reflection of its dedication to academic excellence and research quality.
Other University ranking
- University of Ibadan (801–1000)
- University of Lagos (801–1000)
- Bayero University (1001–1200)
- Covenant University (1001–1200)
- Landmark University (1001–1200)
- Ahmadu Bello University (1201–1500)
- Federal University of Technology, Minna (1201–1500)
- University of Ilorin (1201–1500)
- University of Jos (1201–1500)
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1201–1500)
- Babcock University (1501+)
- Delta State University, Abraka (1501+)
- Ekiti State University (1501+)
- Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (1501+)
- Federal University of Technology, Akure (1501+)
- Federal University of Technology, Owerri (1501+)
- Federal University Oye-Ekiti (1501+)
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (1501+)
- Lagos State University (1501+)
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University (1501+)
- Obafemi Awolowo University (1501+)
- University of Benin (1501+)
- University of Calabar (1501+)
- University of Port Harcourt (1501+)
- Admiralty University of Nigeria
- Akwa Ibom State University
- Al-Hikmah University
- Augustine University
- Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti
- Bauchi State University, Gadau
- Bayelsa Medical University
- Baze University
- Bells University of Technology
- Bowen University
- Evangel University, Akaeze
- Federal University of Lafia
- Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun
- Fountain University
- Godfrey Okoye University
- Igbinedion University, Okada
- Kaduna State University
- Lagos State University of Education
- Lagos State University of Science and Technology
- Lead City University
- Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria
- Nasarawa State University, Keffi
- Redeemer’s University
- Rivers State University
- Thomas Adewumi University
- University of Cross River State
- University of Delta
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