Nigerian universities must improve global reputation, research – Education ranking committee

Prof Peter Okebukola, Chairman of the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee, has emphasized the need for Nigerian universities to enhance their global reputation, research output, and international collaborations to improve the country's standing in global university rankings. This assessment was made following the release of the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, which evaluated 2,297 universities across 118 countries and territories.

Nigeria recorded 29 ranked universities, a slight increase from 24 in the 2026 edition. Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, highlighted that global academic reputation is the most significant factor in improving Nigeria's performance, accounting for 33% of the overall ranking score. He suggested that universities could boost their international standing by participating more actively in international conferences, conducting joint research, attracting visiting professors, and strengthening ties with academics and alumni in the diaspora.

The assessment also revealed that research quality was Nigeria's strongest ranking pillar, with a mean score of 43.3, while research environment and teaching scored 13.9 and 20.6 respectively. Covenant University, the University of Ibadan, and the University of Lagos led Nigeria's universities in the global 801-1000 band, with four more universities falling in the same band.