The University of Ibadan has reclaimed the top spot in Nigeria’s higher education rankings, displacing Covenant University to lead the country’s 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) University Rankings, a shift that reflects broader movement across the sector.
The 2026 rankings, which assessed 24 Nigerian universities across five performance pillars, teaching environment, research environment, research quality, industry engagement and international outlook, show a landscape in flux, with several institutions breaking into the top ten for the first time while established names slip down the table.
UI returns to the summit
Founded in 1932 and Nigeria’s oldest university, the University of Ibadan rose from second position in 2024 to first place in 2026. The Oyo State institution, which runs 16 faculties and hosts what is recognised as Africa’s largest postgraduate school, has a student population of approximately 36,851 and a student-to-staff ratio of 17.6.
UNILAG follows suit
The University of Lagos followed
This post was originally published on this site.
