The Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, has hailed the impressive performance of Nigerian universities in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings, describing it as the country’s strongest showing yet on the global academic stage.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the achievement reflects the positive impact of reforms being implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), aimed at repositioning higher education as a catalyst for national development.
According to the latest rankings, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos emerged among Nigeria’s highest-ranked universities, while Bayero University Kano recorded one of the country’s strongest performances.
Nigeria also 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.
The Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Folasade Boriowo, said in a statement issued in Abuja that 17 of the ranked institutions are federal universities, highlighting significant improvements in research, innovation, quality assurance, governance, digital transformation, infrastructure and human capital development.
She added that the rankings signal a resurgence of public universities among Nigeria’s leading higher ed
Reacting to the development, Dr Alausa said the results demonstrate the growing impact of government efforts to strengthen the nation’s universities.
“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,” he said.
The Minister noted that the rankings provide credible international validation of ongoing efforts to improve governance, institutional quality and academic excellence across Nigeria’s higher education sector.
He commended the University of Ibadan, the University of Lagos, Bayero University Kano, Covenant University, Landmark University, Ahmadu Bello University and other ranked institutions for their outstanding contributions to teaching, research, innovation and national development.