Nigerian universities could achieve record-breaking performances in global rankings from 2027, driven by increased competition, improved research visibility and a new national framework for assessing tertiary institutions, Professor Emeritus Peter Okebukola has said.
Okebukola, Chairman of the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee (NiTERAC), expressed optimism about the future of the country’s higher education sector, pointing to recent improvements in Nigeria’s representation in international university rankings.
In the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Nigeria recorded 29 ranked universities, up from 24 in the previous edition. The country also had the highest number of ranked institutions in sub-Saharan Africa.
New ranking framework to drive competition
Okebukola said the Federal Government’s plan to introduce a national ranking system for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education would encourage healthy competition and help institutions identify areas requiring improvement.
The exercise, coordinated by NiTERAC under the Federal Ministry of Education, is expected to assess universities using 22 indicators, with the broader exercise covering Nigeria’s three major categories of tertiary institutions.
The framework is intended to provide institutions with clearer benchmarks for measuring performance and strengthening their international standing.
Research and international partnerships remain crucial
Despite the progress recorded, Okebukola has stressed that Nigerian institutions must do more to improve research output, academic reputation and international collaboration.
He has called for stronger research funding, increased doctoral output, more joint research projects with foreign institutions and better management of academic data submitted for international rankings.
The latest global rankings placed Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos in the 801–1,000 band, making them Nigeria’s highest-ranked institutions in the 2027 edition. Four other universities featured in the 1,001–1,200 band.
Okebukola’s forecast reflects growing expectations that reforms, stronger research capacity and competition among institutions could improve Nigeria’s standing in global higher education.
However, he has emphasised the need for sustained progress rather than relying solely on an increase in the number of Nigerian universities appearing in international rankings.
