Nigeria to Release New National University Ranking by October 2026 — NURAC

The Nigerian Universities Ranking Advisory Committee (NURAC) has announced plans to publish a new national ranking of universities by October 2026.

The chairman of the committee and former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, revealed this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.

This development comes shortly after Times Higher Education (THE) released its 2026 global university rankings, which relied on 18 performance indicators covering teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry engagement.

In the latest THE rankings, the University of Ibadan reclaimed its position as Nigeria’s top university—a spot it last held in 2023—placing within the 801–1,000 band globally. It rose from fourth place nationally in 2025, overtaking Covenant University, which had led in the two previous years. The University of Lagos and Bayero University followed in second and third place, with Covenant University dropping to fourth.

Okebukola noted that preparations for Nigeria’s next national ranking were well underway.

“NURAC is planning the next national ranking for October 2026,” he said. “Our last ranking in 2024 showed a strong correlation with how Nigerian universities performed on global ranking tables in 2025.”

He added that there were no obstacles hindering the ongoing process.

According to him, the committee met on October 16, 2025, to review Nigeria’s performance in the 2026 Times Higher Education rankings and to devise strategies for improving the country’s standing in the 2027 edition.

“We resolved to submit an aide-memoire to the NUC and the Minister of Education outlining steps Nigeria should take to not only improve the global ranking of its universities but also enhance the overall quality of higher education delivery,” Okebukola stated.