Covenant University has emerged as the highest-ranked Nigerian university in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, with 31 Nigerian institutions receiving published overall rankings and performance scores across teaching, research, industry and international outlook.
The 2027 edition of the ranking covers 2,297 universities in 118 countries and territories and assesses institutions across five broad performance areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook.
Among the Nigerian institutions with published positions, the University of Ibadan and University of Lagos are placed in the 801–1000 global band, making them the highest-ranked Nigerian universities in that band after Covenant University.
Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, Landmark University and the University of Ilorin are in the 1001–1200 band, while Babcock University, Osun State University and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, fall within the 1201–1400 band.
The 1401–1600 band includes the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Benin, University of Jos and University of Maiduguri.
The Federal University of Technology, Akure is placed in the 1601–1800 band.
Meanwhile, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Lagos State University, Olabisi Onabanjo University and the University of Calabar are in the 1801–2000 band.
Seven other institutions —including Delta State University, Abraka; Ekiti State University; Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Federal University Oye-Ekiti; Kwara State University; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; and the University of Port Harcourt —are placed in the 2001+ category.
Beyond the overall bands, the individual indicators show significant differences in the areas where Nigerian universities recorded stronger performance.
The University of Ibadan, for instance, recorded 31.2 in teaching, 19.9 in research environment, 64.9 in research quality, 22.2 in industry and 44.9 in international outlook.
The University of Lagos recorded 21.2 in teaching and 20.8 in research environment, while its research quality score stood at 67.8, with 31.3 for industry and 45.6 for international outlook.
The University of Ilorin recorded the highest research-quality score among the institutions in the 1001–1200 band, at 69.4, while Bayero University recorded 66.5 and Ahmadu Bello University 60.3.
Obafemi Awolowo University recorded a comparatively strong industry score of 50.0, alongside 37.7 for research quality and 43.1 for international outlook.
The University of Jos recorded 54.7 in research quality and 46.6 in international outlook, while the University of Maiduguri posted 57.8 and 45.8 respectively in the two indicators.
The figures also show areas of relative strength among universities in the 2001+ category. Kwara State University recorded 41.9 in international outlook, while Federal University Oye-Ekiti recorded 40.9. The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta posted 36.0 in international outlook and 26.5 in research quality.
However, a second group of Nigerian universities appears on the THE Nigeria filter without published numerical scores.
The institutions include Adamawa State University, Mubi; Ajayi Crowther University; Akwa Ibom State University; Aletheia University, Ago-Iwoye; Al-Hikmah University; Ambrose Alli University; Augustine University; Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology; Bayelsa Medical University; Baze University; Bells University of Technology; Bingham University; Bowen University; and Evangel University, Akaeze.
Others are the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun; Federal University Otuoke; Fountain University; Godfrey Okoye University; Igbinedion University, Okada; Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University; Lagos State University of Education; Lagos State University of Science and Technology; Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria; Michael and Cecilia Ibru University; Miva Open University; Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Nile University of Nigeria; Plateau State University, Bokkos; Rivers State University; University of Cross River State; and University of Delta.
For these institutions, the table displays “N/A” for the overall measure as well as teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook.
The N/A designation in the displayed table does not provide a numerical score or ranking band for those institutions and should not be interpreted as a zero score.
Globally, the 2027 ranking places the University of Oxford at number one for the 11th consecutive year. China’s Tsinghua University rises to 11th, overtaking Switzerland’s ETH Zurich, while the National University of Singapore moves into the global top 15.
THE also highlighted a broader shift in the global higher education landscape, with Asia moving ahead of continental Europe for the first time and three Asian universities entering the top 15.
The 2027 results therefore present a two-tier picture of Nigeria’s participation: 31 universities have published ranking bands and detailed indicator scores, while another group is listed in the country database without numerical performance data in the displayed table.
