The Federal Government of Nigeria has initiated a national ranking exercise for tertiary institutions, aiming to strengthen institutional performance and improve the country's global competitiveness. The exercise, coordinated by the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee under the Federal Ministry of Education, will assess universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education using 22 indicators. This move is part of efforts to establish a national framework for measuring institutional performance, identifying areas of weakness, and encouraging competition among public and private tertiary institutions.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee, Prof. Peter Okebukola, disclosed details of the exercise in a presentation on Nigeria's performance in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. According to Okebukola, the ranking exercise follows a directive from the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. The university ranking will use 22 indicators, with weightings agreed upon with the League of Directors of Academic Planning. The three sub-sector rankings are scheduled for completion before December 15, 2026.
The national ranking is intended to stimulate healthy internal competition among Nigerian tertiary institutions and position the Nigerian tertiary education system for improved global ranking in the coming years. This exercise represents an expansion of the government's approach to assessing tertiary education, moving beyond universities to include polytechnics and colleges of education. Nigeria's performance in the 2027 edition of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings provides a reference point for the government's ambitions.
In the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 29 Nigerian universities featured, compared to 24 in the previous edition, making Nigeria the most represented country in sub-Saharan Africa. The University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, and Covenant University were placed in the global 801-1,000 band, while four other Nigerian universities featured in the 1,001-1,200 category. A further 32 Nigerian universities were listed in the Reporter category, indicating they provided data but did not satisfy one or more requirements for inclusion in the ranked tables.
The presentation noted that only 29 of the 328 universities listed by the National Universities Commission appeared in the ranked category. It identified research funding, publication productivity, institutional data management, and international collaboration as areas requiring sustained attention. The national ranking is expected to provide institutions with a domestic benchmark against which they can measure their performance, identify gaps, and plan improvements.
With the three sub-sector rankings scheduled for completion before December 15, 2026, the exercise will involve data collection, validation, and finalization of the assessment framework. This process aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, highlighting differences among institutions in teaching, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook.
The national ranking exercise is a significant step towards enhancing the quality of tertiary education in Nigeria. By evaluating institutions across various parameters, the government aims to encourage healthy competition, improve institutional performance, and enhance Nigeria's global competitiveness in the education sector. The exercise is expected to have a positive impact on the development of the country's tertiary education system.
Key points
- The Federal Government has set a deadline of December 15, 2026, to complete its national ranking of universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
- The ranking exercise will assess universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education using 22 indicators.
- The national ranking aims to stimulate healthy internal competition among Nigerian tertiary institutions and position the Nigerian tertiary education system for improved global ranking.
