The Federal Ministry of Education has admired Nigeria’s excellent efficiency in the 2026 Times College (THE) World University Rankings and the Times College Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings, explaining the feat as a clear indicator that continuous reforms in the education sector are starting to yield significant results.
In a statement provided on Thursday, the ministry stated Nigeria’s improved ranking performance reflects the positive impact of the education reforms being implemented under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Restored Hope Program and the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
According to the ministry, Nigeria increased its representation in the rankings from 21 universities in both 2024 and 2025 to 24 universities in 2026, making the country the most represented country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Amongst the nation’s highest-performing organizations are the University of Ibadan, the University of Lagos, and Bayero University, Kano. The ministry further revealed that 17 of the 24 ranked universities are federal organizations, underscoring the growing competitiveness of Nigeria’s public college system.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, said the rankings show that government financial investments and reforms in the education sector are producing measurable outcomes and boosting Nigeria’s global scholastic reputation.
Alausa commended all the universities that made the rankings and exposed that an extra 27 Nigerian universities likewise took part in the assessment process, indicating increasing interest among institutions in benchmarking themselves against global standards.
“The rankings demonstrate that investments in education are yielding measurable results and strengthening Nigeria’s global scholastic standing,” the minister stated.
Reaffirming the Federal government’s dedication to continual reforms, the ministry stated efforts would continue to concentrate on improving quality, expanding gain access to, strengthening research and development, and placing Nigeria’s college system among the most competitive on the African continent and beyond