The federal government has attributed the improved performance of Nigerian universities in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and the THE Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings to ongoing reforms in the education sector and the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
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The Ministry of Education said Nigeria increased its representation in the global rankings from 21 universities in 2024 and 2025 to 24 institutions in 2026, making it the most represented country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In a statement issued on Friday by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, the government noted that the Times Higher Education rankings placed the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos, among Nigeria’s highest-ranked universities, while Bayero University, Kano, also emerged as one of the country’s leading institutions.
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According to the ministry, 17 of the ranked institutions are federal universities, reflecting progress in research, innovation, quality assurance, governance, digital transformation, infrastructure, and human capital development.
The statement added that the latest rankings indicate renewed progress among Nigeria’s public universities, with several institutions improving their global competitiveness.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the rankings demonstrate the positive impact of government policies aimed at strengthening higher education and positioning universities as key drivers of national development.
“These rankings are more than numbers; they show that our universities are strengthening their global standing and that investments in education are yielding measurable results. ”
They reflect the dedication of our institutions and stakeholders to advancing teaching, research and innovation,” the minister said.
Alausa described the rankings as independent international recognition of efforts to improve institutional governance, academic quality and research output across the country’s higher education sector.
He congratulated the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Bayero University Kano, Covenant University, Landmark University and Ahmadu Bello University, alongside other ranked institutions, for their contributions to teaching, research, innovation and national development.
The minister also highlighted Bayero University, Kano’s performance as evidence that academic excellence is expanding across different parts of the country.
He further disclosed that, beyond the 24 universities officially ranked in 2026, an additional 27 Nigerian institutions submitted data for assessment, reflecting increasing commitment to institutional benchmarking, transparency and global best practices.
Alausa added that Nigeria’s growing position in Africa’s technology ecosystem underscores the importance of strengthening universities to produce the skilled workforce, research and innovation needed to drive economic growth and competitiveness.
The ministry also commended the leadership, governing councils, academic staff, students and other stakeholders for their roles in advancing Nigeria’s higher education sector.
