Covenant University, the University of Ibadan (UI) and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have emerged as Nigeria’s highest-ranked universities in the 2027 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
The three institutions were placed in the 801–1,000 bracket globally in the ranking published on Wednesday.
Nigeria’s representation also increased from 24 universities in the 2026 edition to 29 in the latest ranking.
The five new entrants are Osun State University, University of Maiduguri, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Kwara State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
Covenant University returned to the top position among Nigerian universities after UI led the country in the 2026 edition.
Ahmadu Bello University and Bayero University were ranked fourth and fifth among Nigerian institutions, respectively, both falling within the 1,001–1,200 global bracket.
THE assesses universities using five broad areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry.
Among the three leading Nigerian institutions, Covenant recorded an overall score of 40.1, while UI and UNILAG scored 38.1 and 36.4, respectively.
In teaching, UI scored 31.2, compared with Covenant’s 21.4 and UNILAG’s 21.2.
For research environment, Covenant scored 32.5, UNILAG 20.8 and UI 19.9, while research quality scores stood at 49.8 for Covenant, 64.9 for UI and 67.8 for UNILAG.
Covenant also recorded the highest scores among the three in industry and international outlook, with 61.0 and 48.6 points, respectively. UI scored 22.2 and 44.9, while UNILAG recorded 31.3 and 45.6.
According to THE, the 2027 ranking covers 2,297 institutions across 118 countries and territories and uses 17 performance indicators across the five assessment pillars.
The University of Oxford retained the global number one position for the 11th consecutive year.
The University of Cape Town was the highest-ranked university in sub-Saharan Africa, moving from joint 164th in the previous edition to joint 147th in the 2027 ranking.
Full list of Nigerian universities in THE 2027 ranking
- Covenant University — 801–1,000
- University of Ibadan — 801–1,000
- University of Lagos — 801–1,000
- Ahmadu Bello University — 1,001–1,200
- Bayero University — 1,001–1,200
- Landmark University — 1,001–1,200
- University of Ilorin — 1,001–1,200
- Babcock University — 1,201–1,400
- Osun State University — 1,201–1,400
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka — 1,201–1,400
- Federal University of Technology, Minna — 1,401–1,600
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University — 1,401–1,600
- Obafemi Awolowo University — 1,401–1,600
- University of Benin — 1,401–1,600
- University of Jos — 1,401–1,600
- University of Maiduguri — 1,401–1,600
- Federal University of Technology, Akure — 1,601–1,800
- Federal University of Technology, Owerri — 1,801–2,000
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology — 1,801–2,000
- Lagos State University — 1,801–2,000
- Olabisi Onabanjo University — 1,801–2,000
- University of Calabar — 1,801–2,000
- Delta State University, Abraka — 2,001+
- Ekiti State University — 2,001+
- Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta — 2,001+
- Federal University Oye-Ekiti — 2,001+
- Kwara State University — 2,001+
- Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike — 2,001+
- University of Port Harcourt — 2,001+
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