The University of Ibadan has regained its position as Nigeria’s best university in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
It was released Thursday 9th of October, 2025, and the latest ranking placed UI in the 801–1000 band globally, ahead of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), which also appeared in the same category. Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Covenant University, and Landmark University followed in third, fourth, and fifth positions respectively.
The 2026 edition assessed 2,191 universities across 115 countries, measuring performance in teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook.
Among Nigerian institutions, UNILAG recorded the highest research quality score (66.7), BUK led in international outlook, while Covenant University topped in industry engagement.
UI’s rise to the top comes after slipping to fourth place in the 2025 rankings, marking a return to dominance for Nigeria’s oldest university.
