By Jimmy Fatunbi
The University of Ibadan (UI) 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 (UNILAG) taking second place nationally.
The July 2026 ranking assessed 32,148 universities and higher education institutions worldwide.
UI ranked 1,291st globally to emerge first in Nigeria, while UNILAG placed 1,355th globally and second nationally.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka, came third in Nigeria and 1,397th globally, followed by Covenant University, Ota, which ranked fourth nationally and 1,522nd worldwide.
Landmark University occupied fifth place in Nigeria and 1,659th globally, while the University of Ilorin ranked sixth nationally and 1,883rd globally.
The Webometrics Ranking is published twice a year and evaluates higher education institutions based on indicators such as visibility, openness and excellence. The ranking broadly measures institutions’ online 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 — 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
Top 10 universities globally
The global top 10 were:
Harvard University — United States
Stanford University — United States
University of Oxford — United Kingdom
University of Cambridge — United Kingdom
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — United States
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
American universities dominated the global ranking, occupying seven of the top 10 positions, while the United Kingdom had two institutions in the top four with Oxford and Cambridge.
Harvard retained the number-one position, ahead of Stanford, while Oxford and Cambridge followed in third and fourth places respectively. MIT completed the global top five.
The University of Toronto was the highest-ranked Canadian institution, placing 12th globally.
Overall, the July 2026 Webometrics ranking places the University of Ibadan and University of Lagos as Nigeria’s leading universities. However, Nigeria’s highest-ranked institution, UI, remained outside the global top 1,000 in the ranking.
