Nigeria has recorded an improved performance in the 2027 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, with 29 Nigerian universities featuring in the global ranking, up from 24 institutions in the 2026 edition.
The development places Nigeria as the most represented country in sub-Saharan Africa, with the latest ranking covering 2,297 universities across 118 countries and territories.
The Federal Government has linked the progress to ongoing reforms in the education sector under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, particularly measures aimed at improving quality, accountability, research, institutional performance and the global competitiveness of Nigerian universities.
The 2027 ranking showed Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos occupying Nigeria’s highest position, jointly placed in the 801–1000 global band. Covenant University improved from the 1001–1200 band in the 2026 ranking, while the University of Ibadan and University of Lagos retained their positions.
Four other Nigerian universities, Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, Landmark University and the University of Ilorin, were placed in the 1001–1200 band. This brings the number of Nigerian universities in the global top 1,200 to seven.
The ranking also showed an increase in the number of Nigerian universities participating in the global assessment. In addition to the 29 ranked institutions, 32 Nigerian universities were placed in the Reporter category, bringing the total number of Nigerian institutions engaging with the 2027 ranking exercise to 61.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee, Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, said the increased representation should be accompanied by stronger performance in areas such as global academic reputation, research output and international collaboration.
His assessment showed that Research Quality was Nigeria’s strongest ranking pillar, with a mean score of 43.3, while Research Environment and Teaching recorded mean scores of 13.9 and 20.6 respectively.
The development comes amid broader Federal Government efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s tertiary education system. In September, the government expanded the national tertiary education ranking framework to cover universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, with participation made compulsory for tertiary institutions. The initiative is being implemented through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
The National Universities Commission has also introduced Blueprint 2.0, a strategic framework aimed at improving the quality, relevance and global competitiveness of the Nigerian university system.
While the latest ranking represents an increase in Nigeria’s global participation, education officials and ranking experts have continued to stress the need for sustained improvements in research, teaching, institutional capacity and international collaboration to strengthen the country’s position in global higher education.
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