UNILAG and Two Other Nigerian Universities Make 2025 World Rankings

Nigerian universities haven’t made headlines in global rankings for a while—but this time, it’s not just about who made the list, it’s about who didn’t make the top 1,000.

While Nigeria had a few schools ranked, countries like South Africa and Egypt dominated the 2026 QS World University Rankings. Let’s break it down—one reveal at a time.

Despite 297 Nigerian universities being eligible, none cracked the top 1,000 in the global QS rankings for 2026.

But not all is lost—three made the broader ranking list, though they’re still outside the elite tier:

University of Ibadan (UI) and University of Lagos (UNILAG) held ground in the 1,001–1,200 band for both the 2025 and 2026 editions.
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria showed up in the 1,201–1,400 range, marking its first appearance.

Meanwhile, across the continent, Egypt and South Africa were stealing the spotlight:

Egypt led with 20 universities featured in the 2026 rankings.
South Africa followed with 11 schools making the cut.
Tunisia, Ghana, Morocco, Kenya, Libya, Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia also saw entries—some with one or two universities each.

Top African institutions like the University of Cape Town (150th) and the University of the Witwatersrand (291st) secured spots in the world’s top 300—something no Nigerian school achieved.

What This Means for Nigerian Education

It’s a mixed bag—a symbol of resilience, but also a stark reminder of what’s needed:

1. Recognition amid challenges: UI, UNILAG, and ABU continue to show that Nigerian institutions can compete—if given the resources.

2. The gap remains significant: Weaknesses in research production, international collaboration, and graduate employability are major barriers.

3. Regional rivals are rising fast: Countries like Egypt and South Africa are leveraging partnerships, research funding, and infrastructure to climb global rankings.

The bigger question

Now that we’ve unpacked where Nigerian universities stand, here’s something to think about:

Do you believe more Nigerian universities deserve a spot in the global rankings—or is this where we’re meant to be for now?