Of the 264 universities operating in Nigeria, only 44 made the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2025.
THE is a global institution providing data and insights about the state of universities around the world. Its latest report employed metrics such as the number of academic staff, number of students per staff, international students and male-female ratio in rating the schools’ performances. These indicators are expected to influence the teaching and community impacts of the ranked institutions.
Covenant University (CU), a private institution founded by Bishop David Oyedepo, has maintained the national top spot for two consecutive years. It ranked first in 2024 and 2025.
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Even though CU leads nationally in the latest ranking, its global ranking in the league of world-class universities has dropped. It was rated among the best 601–800 in 2023 but it has fallen to the 801–1000 region.
The University of Ibadan (UI), Nigeria’s pioneer university, has dipped in its national rating. It was rated second in 2024 and fourth in the 2025 ranking. This also translates to a displacement from its global position. UI was ranked globally between 401 and 500 in 2023 and 801 and 1000 in 2024.
Ahmadu Bello University made its debut on the ranking list at second position in Nigeria. Some other Nigerian universities were also ranked by the organisation for the first time.
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FIJ understands only the institutions that participate in each data collection cycle for the purpose of world ranking get featured each year.
The table below shows the name and position of each institution nationally as culled from the THE website.
S/NNAMENATIONAL POSITION1Covenant University12Ahmadu Bello University Zaria23Landmark University34University of Ibadan45University of Lagos56Bayero University Kano67Federal University of Technology Akure78Federal University of Technology Minna89University of Benin910University of Ilorin1011University of Nigeria Unsukka1112Ekiti State University1213Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta1314Federal University of Technology Owerri1415Federal University Oye-Ekiti1516Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso1617Lagos State University1718Nnamdi Azikwe University1819Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife1920University of Port-Harcourt2021Usman Danfodiyo University Sokoto2122Abia State University2223Akwa Ibom State University 2324Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike2425Ambrose Alli University2526Baze University2627Bells University of Technology2728Benson Idahosa University2829Bowen University2930Delta State University Abraka3031Evangel University Akaeze3132Federal University of Petroleum Resource Effurun3233Godfrey Okoye University3334Lagos State University of Education3435Lagos State University of Science and Technology3536Nasarawa State University Keffi3637Niger Delta University3738Nile University of Nigeria3839Osun State University3940Rivers State University4041Thomas Adewumi University4142University of Cross River State4243University of Maiduguri4344Veritas University Abuja44
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