Nigeria’s higher education sector received a major boost this week as three of its universities were listed in the latest global university rankings, marking a significant step forward for academic excellence on the continent.
According to the newly released 2025 World University Rankings by Times Higher Education (THE), the University of Ibadan (UI), University of Lagos (UNILAG), and Covenant University made the prestigious list, recognized for improvements in research output, international collaboration, and teaching quality.
The University of Ibadan led Nigeria’s representation, ranking in the 501–600 band globally, while Covenant University and UNILAG appeared in the 601–800 and 801–1000 bands respectively.
Global Top 10 Universities (2025 THE Rankings):
- University of Oxford – United Kingdom
- Stanford University – United States
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – United States
- Harvard University – United States
- University of Cambridge – United Kingdom
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech) – United States
- Princeton University – United States
- Imperial College London – United Kingdom
- ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology – Switzerland
- University of Chicago – United States
Education experts in Nigeria have hailed the development as a testament to ongoing efforts in improving academic standards and global competitiveness.
“This is a win for Nigeria. Despite our challenges, these institutions have demonstrated that we can compete internationally if given the right support,” said Dr. Amina Yusuf, an education policy analyst.
The Federal Ministry of Education has also commended the institutions and promised increased investment in higher education to enable more universities to make the rankings in the coming years.