List of Top 10 Best Universities in Nigeria 2023 Emerges – THE RANKING 2023 (UPDATED)

List of Top 10 Best Universities in Nigeria 2023 Emerges – THE RANKING 2023.

Discover the top 10 Best universities in Nigeria according to the 2023 Times Higher Education Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings. From Covenant University to Adeleke University, explore the rankings, campus locations, and key information about these leading educational institutions. Additionally, learn about the impressive performance of Nigerian universities on the global stage according to the Center for World University Rankings.

London, United Kingdom – Times Higher Education (THE) has published the 2023 edition of its Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings, highlighting over 30 Nigerian universities. The rankings aim to evaluate the influence of universities in tackling the region’s most challenging issues. Covenant University claims the top spot in Nigeria and seventh place in sub-Saharan Africa.

Times Higher Education employed meticulously calibrated indicators to facilitate comprehensive and unbiased comparisons across three crucial domains: teaching, research, and societal impact. These indicators incorporate data from the inaugural sub-Saharan Africa student survey, which gathered the perspectives of over 20,000 students. As per a recent report by PM News, the Nigerian rankings are headed by Covenant University in Ota, Ogun state, followed by the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in second place and Benson Idahosa University in Edo state securing the third position. These institutions were ranked 7th, 26th, and 30th, respectively, in the overall sub-Saharan Africa university rankings.

While South Africa boasts the highest number of institutions in the top 10 (four), Nigeria holds the record for the most represented nation, with 37 ranked institutions.

Here is the comprehensive list of the top 10 universities in Nigeria for 2023, according to Times Higher Education:

1. Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state (ranked seventh in sub-Saharan Africa) Covenant University is a private Pentecostal Christian University officially established in Ota, Nigeria since 2002. The school was founded by Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide.
2. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun state (ranked 26th in sub-Saharan Africa) The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), established in 1988, is one of the three federal universities of agriculture created by the Nigerian government. It relocated to its present site, a 10,000-hectare campus located 10 miles outside Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun state, in 1997. FUNAAB comprises various colleges specializing in areas such as environmental research management, animal science and livestock production, agricultural management and rural development, plant science and crop production, biological science, food science and human ecology, engineering, physical science, and veterinary medicine. The university also operates a veterinary school and plans to establish two more rural satellite veterinary clinics.
3. Benson Idahosa University, Edo state (ranked 30th in sub-Saharan Africa) Benson Idahosa University (BIU) is a private Christian university situated in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Formerly known as Christian Faith University (CFU), it was renamed in honor of Archbishop Benson Idahosa, a Charismatic Pentecostal minister from Benin City.
4. Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state (ranked 31st in sub-Saharan Africa) Nnamdi Azikiwe University, also referred to as UNIZIK or NAU, is a federal university with two campuses located in Anambra state. The main campus is in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, while the other campus is in Nnewi.
5. Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun state (ranked 35th in sub-Saharan Africa) Redeemer’s University, established in 2005, is a private university situated in Ede, Osun state, Nigeria. It is owned by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
6. University of Ibadan, Oyo state (ranked 36th in sub-Saharan Africa) The University of Ibadan (UI) originated as the University College, Ibadan (UCI), founded in 1948. Initially located at the old Eleyele site, it later relocated to a new campus covering over 2,550 acres of land. The land was generously leased by the chiefs and people of Ibadan for a period of 999 years.
7. Cross River University of Technology, Calabar (ranked 37th in sub-Saharan Africa) Cross River University of Technology, also known as CRUTECH, is a state-owned higher institution situated in Calabar. The university offers bachelor’s degree programs in various fields, including Agriculture, Education, Science and technology, among others.
8. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state (ranked 39th in sub-Saharan Africa) Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is a federal government-owned university located in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun state, Nigeria. It was established in 1961 and classes commenced in October 1962 as the University of Ife. In 1987, it was renamed “Obafemi Awolowo University” in honor of the late Obafemi Awolowo, the first premier of the Western Region of Nigeria.
9. Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina state (ranked 43rd in sub-Saharan Africa) Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYU), previously known as Katsina State University, was established by the Katsina state government in 2006. The university’s mission is to produce highly skilled human resources through conventional face-to-face and distance learning modes, thereby contributing to the socio-economic, technological, and political development of the state. Shehu Salihu-Muhammad serves as the vice-chancellor of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University (UMYU), Katsina.
10. Adeleke University, Ede, Osun state (ranked 45th in sub-Saharan Africa) Adeleke University is named after its founder and pro-chancellor, Chief Adedeji Adeleke, a business tycoon and prominent indigene of Osun state. The university, established in 2011 by Adeleke’s Springtime Development Foundation, is a private, faith-based institution located in Ede, Osun state. It enrolls under 1,000 students across faculties in arts, basic medical science, business and social science, engineering, law, and science.

UI, UNN, UNILAG rank high in the list of best universities in Africa as the latest world university ranking report is released by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR). The University of Ibadan, the University of Nigeria, the University of Lagos, and the Ahmadu Bello University have achieved notable rankings among the world’s best universities, according to the Centre for World University Rankings