The 2027 best universities in Nigeria ranking is out, and more universities from the country have made it onto the global list this year.
The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027 ranks 29 Nigerian universities. That is five more than the 24 universities that made the list last year. In other words, Nigeria now has a bigger presence in the global university rankings.
At the top, three universities are tied. Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos are all in the 801–1,000 global ranking group.
But the ranking is not just about who came first or who came second. THE looks at things like teaching, research, links with industry and how well a university connects with the rest of the world.
So, which schools made the top 20 universities in Nigeria in 2027? And what helped each of them get there? Let’s take a look.
1. Covenant University
Covenant University leads the Nigerian list again, sharing the 801–1,000 global position with two other schools. But its result is not only about where it sits on the table. The university did especially well in its links with industry, scoring 61 in that area. That was a clear strength compared with the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos.
2. University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is right beside Covenant University in the 801–1,000 group. For UI, research remains a major part of the story. The university recorded a 64.9 score for research quality, while its teaching score stood at 31.2. Its strong research showing helps explain why it remains one of the best universities in Nigeria.
3. University of Lagos
The University of Lagos makes it three Nigerian universities in the 801–1,000 global group. And when it comes to research, UNILAG had a particularly strong result. Its 67.8 research quality score was higher than the scores recorded by both Covenant University and the University of Ibadan.
4. Ahmadu Bello University
After the top three, there is a step down to the 1,001–1,200 group, where Ahmadu Bello University leads the next set of Nigerian schools. ABU’s research quality score came in at 60.3. Its international outlook was another bright spot, with a score of 46.4.
5. Bayero University
Bayero University also falls within the 1,001–1,200 global range. Its numbers show a university with a strong research profile. It scored 66.5 for research quality, while its international outlook score reached 49. That international score was one of the better results among the Nigerian universities on the list.
6. Landmark University
Landmark University holds the sixth position in the Nigerian ranking and is part of the same 1,001–1,200 global group. Research again stands out here. The university recorded 61.5 for research quality, making research one of the main areas behind its position in the Nigerian universities ranking 2027.
7. University of Ilorin
The University of Ilorin rounds out the Nigerian universities in the 1,001–1,200 band. Its biggest talking point is its research score. At 69.4, Ilorin had the highest research quality score among all the Nigerian universities featured in the 2027 ranking. That is a strong result, even though the university sits below the top three in the overall ranking.
8. Babcock University
Babcock University moves us into the 1,201–1,400 global group. Its results are fairly spread out, with a 27.5 teaching score and 54.9 for research quality. It also recorded 36.2 in international outlook. So while it does not lead in one particular area, its performance across these measures keeps it among the top universities in Nigeria.
9. Osun State University
Osun State University is one of the newer names on the list. The school made its first appearance in the THE ranking this year and landed in the 1,201–1,400 global group. Its research environment score was 25.6, while research quality came in at 43.8. For a new entrant, making the global list at all is an important first step.
10. University of Nigeria, Nsukka
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka takes the 10th spot on the Nigerian list and sits in the 1,201–1,400 global group. Its strongest showing comes from teaching, where it scored 33.3. That puts UNN among the stronger Nigerian performers in teaching, giving the university a different strength from some of the schools ranked above it.
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11. Federal University of Technology, Minna
The Federal University of Technology, Minna comes next, placing in the 1,401–1,600 global group. Its strongest result came from research quality, where it scored 55.8. The university also had a fairly good showing in international outlook, with a score of 45.9.
12. Nnamdi Azikiwe University
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, also known as UNIZIK, is in the same 1,401–1,600 band. Its research quality score was 46.4, while international outlook stood at 38.2. Teaching was lower, with a score of 23.5. Overall, the numbers show a university doing better in research and global links than in teaching.
13. Obafemi Awolowo University
For Obafemi Awolowo University, the number that stands out is not its research score. It is the 50 it recorded for industry. That was one of the university’s strongest results and points to a good connection between OAU and businesses outside the university. The school is ranked in the 1,401–1,600 global group.
14. University of Benin
The University of Benin is also part of the 1,401–1,600 group. Research is where the university made its strongest mark, scoring 58.9 for research quality. Teaching, however, was a different story. UNIBEN scored just 12.1 in that area, leaving a clear gap between its research and teaching results.
15. University of Jos
The University of Jos takes the 15th spot among Nigerian universities in the ranking. It is in the 1,401–1,600 global band. Its research quality score was 54.7, while its international outlook score was 46.6. Both results show areas where the university performed relatively well.
16. University of Maiduguri
The University of Maiduguri is one of the new Nigerian names appearing in the THE World University Rankings 2027. It landed in the 1,401–1,600 global group, with research quality standing out at 57.8. Its international outlook score was also fairly strong at 45.8.
17. Federal University of Technology, Akure
The Federal University of Technology, Akure moves into the 1,601–1,800 global group. Its international outlook was one of its better results, with a score of 44.9. Research quality came in at 38.3, while teaching scored 21.4.
18. Federal University of Technology, Owerri
The Federal University of Technology, Owerri is in the 1,801–2,000 global group. Its strongest result among the figures highlighted here was its 39.6 international outlook score. It recorded 27.2 for industry and 28 for research quality.
19. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, better known as LAUTECH, is also in the 1,801–2,000 global group. Research quality was its strongest area, with a score of 39.3. The university also recorded 24.4 for industry, showing some connection with businesses and the wider economy.
20. Lagos State University
Lagos State University closes out the top 20 universities in Nigeria on the 2027 list. LASU is in the 1,801–2,000 global group, and its strongest result came from international outlook, where it scored 45.8. That suggests the university’s links beyond Nigeria are one of the areas helping its overall performance in the ranking.
How the 2027 best universities in Nigeria ranking compare with the global 2026 ranking
Nigeria had 24 ranked universities in 2026. That number has now risen to 29 in 2027.
Five universities are making their first appearance: Osun State University, the University of Maiduguri, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Kwara State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Their arrival means more Nigerian schools are now being measured alongside universities from around the world.
There was also a change at the top. In 2026, the University of Ibadan was Nigeria’s highest-ranked university, followed by the University of Lagos. Covenant University was fourth among Nigerian schools. This year, however, Covenant has moved into the top group.
How THE ranked best universities in Nigeria
The THE World University Rankings 2027 does not rank universities on one measure alone. It looks at five areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook.
Together, these areas give a wider picture of how a university is performing. THE uses 17 performance indicators to arrive at its results, covering everything from the quality of teaching and research to a university’s links with industry and the wider world.
The result is a ranking where universities can end up in the same global group for very different reasons.
That can be seen clearly among Nigeria’s top schools such as Covenant University which gets much of its strength from its industry links, the University of Ibadan which has a strong showing in research and teaching, and the University of Lagos which stands out for the quality of its research.
What the ranking tells us about Nigeria’s education ystem
Nigeria is the country in 2027 with the highest number of ranked universities in sub-Saharan Africa.
But only Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos made the 801–1,000 global band. Many of the other Nigerian universities appear much further down the global list.
Research is another big part of the picture. A number of Nigeria’s leading universities recorded strong research quality scores. At the same time, some schools posted much lower numbers in areas such as teaching and research environment.
For students, however, the best university in Nigeria is not always the one highest on the global ranking.
The course a student wants to study matters too. So do school fees, location, facilities, student life and what happens to graduates after they leave school. A university that ranks lower overall could still be a better choice for someone studying a particular course.
Last updated: October 7, 2026
