Nigerian Universities Absent from QS Top 1000; Only Three Make Global Ranking

For the third consecutive year, no Nigerian university ranked within the top 1,000 in the 2026 QS World University Rankings released on June 19, 2025, by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a leading global higher education analyst. Out of 297 Nigerian universities, only three made the list: University of Ibadan (UI), University of Lagos (UNILAG), and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

UI and UNILAG maintained their positions in the 1001–1200 band, consistent with their 2025 rankings. ABU appeared for the first time, placed in the 1201–1400 category. The rankings assess universities based on academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, research citations, international diversity, global research networks, employment outcomes, and sustainability.

Nigerian universities continue to lag behind African peers, with Egypt leading the continent with 20 universities, South Africa 11, and Tunisia four. The highest-ranked African universities are South Africa’s University of Cape Town (150th) and University of the Witwatersrand (291st).

Top 10 Universities Globally in 2026 QS Rankings

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) United States

2. Imperial College London United Kingdom

3.Stanford University United States

4. University of Oxford United Kingdom.

5. Harvard University United States

6. University of Cambridge United Kingdom

7. ETH Zurich Switzerland

8. National University of Singapore (NUS) Singapore

9. University College London (UCL) United Kingdom

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10. California Institute of Technology (Caltech) United States

The persistent absence of Nigerian universities from the top 1,000 highlights ongoing challenges in research output, international collaboration, and graduate employability, key factors influencing global rankings.