Afe Babalola Sets New Goal as ABUAD Targets World's Top 50 Universities

Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) celebrates its 72nd global ranking in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rankings as founder Afe Babalola sets a bold target of reaching the world's top 50 universities.

Babalola, who celebrated the latest ranking of the institution as among the top 100 universities in the world, said that his sights were still on greater achievements for the ivory tower.

The ABUAD founder, represented by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, spoke at a press conference on the 2026 Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rating in Ado Ekiti.

In the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rating released last Wednesday, ABUAD was placed 72nd globally and the only Nigerian institution to break into the top 100 worldwide.

Olarinde recalled that Afe Babalola had recently said that his greatest aspiration was to see ABUAD ranked among the top 100 universities in the world, saying, “To the glory of God, that dream has became a reality now.

“Yet, true visionaries are never content with yesterday’s successes. Following the announcement of this year’s Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings, our revered founder and the Bamofin of Yorubaland, Aare Babalola, expressed profound gratitude to Almighty God and to every member of the ABUAD community whose dedication and hard work made this remarkable achievement possible.

“He then challenged us, once again, with an even higher aspiration – that ABUAD should continue its upward trajectory and secure a place among the world’s top 50 universities.

“That vision has now become our renewed resolve. Judging by the remarkable progress we have recorded over the years, I have every confidence that, with God’s grace and the collective efforts of our staff, students, alumni, stakeholders and partners, ABUAD will attain that milestone in the not-too-distant future,” Olarinde said.

The VC said that the ranking of the ABUAD as topmost in Nigeria and among 72 worldwide did not happen by accident, saying, “that is a product of visionary leadership, strategic planning, institutional discipline, resilient governance, staff commitment, the steadfast support of our students, parents, partners, and stakeholders.”

She listed the key pillars driving ABUAD success story to include “full accreditation of all programmes by the National Universities Commission and relevant professional bodies; over 70 institutional partnerships within and outside Nigeria; state-of-the-art laboratories, workshops and research facilities.

Others, she said, included “stable academic calendar and uninterrupted power supply through our Independent Power Plant and Solar System; a functional Planetarium for compulsory Space Studies; Extensive scholarship programmes for indigent and outstanding students; the founder’s continued prioritisation of staff and students’ welfare, including the upward review of salaries and allowances across all staff cadres”.