World University Rankings 2025 as compiled by Times Higher Education, has revealed that no Nigerian University is among the list of the first 800.
Covenant University, however, emerged as the highest-ranked Nigerian institution, placing between 801st and 1000th globally.
Other notable Nigerian Universities include the University of Ibadan, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) ranked between 1001-1200 and the University of Lagos (UNILAG) also ranked 1001-1200.
Additional Nigerian universities made the 2024 Times Higher Education rankings: Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN): both ranked between 1201-1500.
University of Benin (UNIBEN), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Lagos State University (LASU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU): all ranked 1501 and above.
University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) and Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) also ranked 1501 and above.
Meanwhile, the following universities were not ranked: Baze University, Benson Idahosa University, Bells University of Technology, Delta State University, Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA), Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) and Niger Delta University.
Times Higher Education notes that Oxford holds on to the top spot for the ninth consecutive year, bolstered by significant improvements in industry engagement and teaching.
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It says, “MIT rises to second place, overtaking Stanford, which drops to sixth. China edges closer to the top 10, further boosting its global research influence.
“Australia’s top five universities all slip down the rankings, due to declining reputation and international outlook.
“Three new countries join the top 200 – Brazil, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – highlighting the rise of emerging markets in higher education.”
These rankings, published on the Times Higher Education website, underscore the challenges facing Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
The state of university education in Nigeria has been a pressing concern lately, with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) threatening to go on strike due to the government’s alleged failure to fulfill its obligations.
This potential strike action has sparked worries about the impact on students and the overall quality of education in the country.
One of the key issues at play is the allocation of funds to the education sector.
The Nigerian government’s 2024 budget has been criticised for dedicating only 7.9% of its total budget to education.
Furthermore, experts have pointed out that Nigeria’s education system faces numerous challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, poor teaching conditions, and limited access to quality education, particularly for disadvantaged groups.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has also highlighted the alarming number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, estimated to be around 10.5 million.
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