Nigeria has recorded its strongest showing yet in global higher education, with 24 universities making the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.
The Federal Ministry of Education described the achievement as evidence of the positive impact of reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
The Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Folasade Boriowo, in a statement on Friday, said Nigeria increased its representation from 21 universities in 2024 and 2025 to 24 universities in 2026, making it the most represented country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
He said the University of Ibadan, the University of Lagos, and Bayero University Kano ranked among the country’s top-performing institutions, while 17 of the ranked universities are federal institutions.
The Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, said the rankings demonstrate that investments in education are yielding measurable results and strengthening Nigeria’s global academic standing.
He commended all ranked institutions and noted that an additional 27 universities also participated in the assessment process.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to implementing reforms that improve quality, expand access, strengthen research and innovation, and position Nigeria’s higher education system among the most competitive in Africa and globally.
