The University of Ibadan has emerged as the highest-ranked Nigerian university in the July 2026 edition of the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, with the University of Lagos coming second in the country.

According to the ranking data published in July 2026, it provided, 32,148 universities and higher education institutions were assessed globally.

UI placed 1,291st in the world and first in Nigeria, while UNILAG ranked 1,355th globally and second in Nigeria.

The University of Nigeria came third nationally and 1,397th globally, while Covenant University, Ota, ranked fourth in Nigeria and 1,522nd globally.

The Webometrics ranking, published biannually, assesses higher education institutions using indicators including visibility, openness and excellence, reflecting their digital presence, accessibility of scholarly resources and research impact.

Top 50 Nigerian institutions

University of Ibadan — 1,291 globally

University of Lagos — 1,355

University of Nigeria — 1,397

Covenant University, Ota — 1,522

Landmark University — 1,659

University of Ilorin — 1,883

Obafemi Awolowo University — 1,986

Ahmadu Bello University — 2,068

University of Port Harcourt — 2,077

Federal University of Technology, Akure — 2,203

Nnamdi Azikiwe University — 2,308

Bayero University Kano — 2,543

University of Calabar — 2,592

Ladoke Akintola University of Technology — 2,728

Olabisi Onabanjo University — 2,865

Federal University of Technology, Minna — 2,930

University of Benin — 3,078

Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta — 3,279

University of Uyo — 3,470

Lagos State University — 3,482

National Open University of Nigeria — 3,553

Federal University of Technology, Owerri — 3,572

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike — 3,736

University of Abuja — 3,764

Federal University Oye-Ekiti — 3,787

Usmanu Danfodiyo University — 3,793

Adekunle Ajasin University — 3,823

University of Jos — 4,018

Federal University Dutse — 4,074

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University — 4,118

University of Maiduguri — 4,167

Osun State University — 4,208

Pan African University Lagos — 4,256

Redeemer’s University — 4,334

Delta State University, Nigeria — 4,368

Kwara State University — 4,368

Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti — 4,558

Ebonyi State University — 4,776

Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun — 4,930

African University of Science and Technology, Abuja — 5,385

American University of Nigeria — 5,398

Imo State University, Owerri — 5,674

Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma — 5,702

Kogi State University — 5,870

Niger Delta University — 5,888

Rivers State University — 6,016

Joseph Ayo Babalola University — 6,104

Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi — 6,424

Igbinedion University, Okada — 6,533

Kebbi State University of Science and Technology — 6,629

Covenant University…Photo Credit: Covenant University

Top 10 globally

The global ranking was led by:

Harvard University — United States

Stanford University — United States

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — United States

University of Oxford — United Kingdom

University of Washington — United States

Cornell University — United States

University of Michigan — United States

University of California, Berkeley — United States

Johns Hopkins University — United States

Columbia University — United States

The July ranking is heavily dominated by American institutions, which occupy seven of the 10 positions, while the UK has Oxford and Cambridge in third and fourth positions. The University of Toronto is the highest-ranked Canadian institution, appearing at 12th globally.

Harvard University retained the top position, ahead of Stanford.

Harvard’s continued dominance reflects its exceptionally strong performance across the ranking’s web-based indicators.

Stanford was ranked second, followed by Oxford and Cambridge, giving the UK two universities in the global top four. MIT, another US institution, completed the top five.

In summary, the July 2026 ranking places UI and UNILAG as Nigeria’s leading institutions, but the country’s best-performing university still sits outside the global top 1,000 In this particular ranking. (The PUNCH, excluding headline)

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