There are, Delta State University, Abraka; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; University of Benin; University of Calabar; and University of Port Harcourt.
By Frank Ulom
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Published on June 29, 2026
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2 min read
Six universities from the Niger Delta have made it to the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.
There are, Delta State University, Abraka; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; University of Benin; University of Calabar; and University of Port Harcourt, respectively.
The latest rankings place the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos among Nigeria’s highest-ranked universities, while Bayero University Kano emerged as one of the country’s top-performing institutions. Nigeria also increased its representation in the global rankings from 21 universities in 2024 and 2025 to 24 universities in 2026, making it the most represented country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Nigerian contingent comprises 17 federal universities, three state universities and four private universities, underscoring the increasing competitiveness of the country’s tertiary education sector across teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.
The rankings also reflect the growing recognition of specialised institutions, with several federal universities of technology and agriculture earning places, while state-owned universities continued to strengthen their global standing through improved academic performance and research output.
Below are the 24 Nigerian universities that featured in the 2026 THE rankings:
- University of Ibadan
- University of Lagos
- Bayero University Kano
- Covenant University
- Landmark University
- Ahmadu Bello University
- Federal University of Technology, Minna
- University of Ilorin
- University of Jos
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka
- Babcock University
- Delta State University, Abraka
- Ekiti State University
- Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
- Federal University of Technology, Akure
- Federal University of Technology, Owerri
- Federal University Oye-Ekiti
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
- Lagos State University
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University
- Obafemi Awolowo University
- University of Benin
- University of Calabar
- University of Port Harcourt
Reacting to the latest rankings, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the achievement as a significant milestone for Nigeria’s higher education sector, saying it reflects the positive outcomes of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the nation’s universities.
He noted that the growing international recognition of Nigerian institutions underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming tertiary education into a catalyst for innovation, research, human capital development and sustainable national growth.
