The University of Ibadan (UI) has emerged as Nigeria’s highest-ranked university in the July 2026 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, overtaking the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the University of Nigeria (UNN).
The ranking, which assessed 32,148 universities and higher education institutions globally, placed UI 1,291st worldwide, making it the top Nigerian institution in the latest edition.
UNILAG followed in second place nationally, ranking 1,355th globally, while UNN came third in Nigeria and 1,397th worldwide. Covenant University, Ota, placed fourth in the country and 1,522nd globally, ahead of Landmark University (1,659th) and the University of Ilorin (1,883rd).
Other universities in Nigeria’s top 10 included Obafemi Awolowo University, Ahmadu Bello University, the University of Port Harcourt, and the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
Webometrics, released twice yearly, ranks institutions based on online visibility, openness and research excellence, reflecting their digital presence, accessibility of academic resources and research influence.
Globally, Harvard University retained the top spot, followed by Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Oxford and the University of Washington. Despite UI’s rise to the top nationally, Nigeria’s best-performing university remains outside the global top 1,000.
