Nigerian universities continue to face challenges in global academic standing, as the latest QS World University Rankings for 2026, released on June 19, 2025, once again show no institution from the country within the top 1,000 globally.

This marks the third consecutive year that Nigeria’s 297 universities have been excluded from this elite group.

Nigeria’s universities have once again failed to appear in the top 1,000 of the QS World University Rankings, according to the 2026 edition released on June 19, 2025.

For the third consecutive year, no Nigerian institution reached the top tier of the global university list compiled by UK-based higher education analytics firm, Quacquarelli Symonds.

Only three Nigerian universities were included at all: the University of Ibadan (UI), the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. UI and UNILAG maintained their previous placements within the 1,001 to 1,200 range, while ABU appeared for the first time in the 1,201 to 1,400 bracket.

The rankings are based on eight metrics: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-to-student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty and student ratios, global research partnerships, employment outcomes, and sustainability. Nigerian institutions performed poorly in areas such as research impact, international collaboration, and graduate employability.

By contrast, Egypt led Africa in overall representation with 20 institutions in the 2026 rankings, followed by South Africa with 11, Tunisia with four, and Ghana and Morocco with two each. Other African countries with one university on the list include Kenya, Libya, Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia.

South Africa remains the only African country with institutions in the global top 300. The University of Cape Town ranked 150th, while the University of the Witwatersrand placed 291st. No Nigerian university was ranked within the top 1,000.

QS included 1,501 institutions from 106 countries in the 2026 rankings. Leading the global top ten were institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Singapore.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained the top position, followed by Imperial College London, Stanford University, and the University of Oxford.

Despite the number of universities in Nigeria—estimated at nearly 300—Nigerian institutions have struggled to meet QS’s criteria in recent years. The University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos have consistently remained outside the top 1,000, and Ahmadu Bello University only appeared for the first time in the latest edition.

The continued absence of Nigerian universities in the upper ranks of global assessments underscores challenges in the country’s tertiary education sector. These include limited funding, low research output, and inadequate global academic visibility.

Only three Nigerian universities appeared in the overall rankings: the University of Ibadan (UI), the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. UI and UNILAG maintained their position in the 1,001–1,200 band for both the 2025 and 2026 editions of the rankings. ABU entered the list for the first time, placed in the 1,201–1,400 range.

The QS World University Rankings, compiled annually by the UK-based firm Quacquarelli Symonds, assess institutions based on eight indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, international student ratio, international research network, employment outcomes, and sustainability.

Despite their established reputations and the large number of graduates produced annually, Nigerian universities continue to show lower performance in areas such as research impact, global collaboration, and employability metrics. These factors are noted to significantly influence global university rankings.

Across the African continent, Egypt led with 20 universities featured on the 2026 list, followed by South Africa with 11, and Tunisia with four. Ghana and Morocco each had two universities listed, while Kenya, Libya, Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia each had one. Notably, South Africa remains the only African country with institutions positioned within the global top 300, with the University of Cape Town ranked 150th and the University of the Witwatersrand at 291st.