UNIZIK Moves Up to Joint Fourth in Nigeria in THE World University Rankings 2027

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK), has recorded an upward movement in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, placing joint fourth among Nigerian universities after remaining in the same ranking band for more than five years.

The development was welcomed by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on University Ranking, Prof. George Uchenna Eleje, who congratulated the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Anyaehie, for his support towards improving the university’s ranking.

“We will get better in the coming years,” Eleje said.

UNIZIK was among seven Nigerian universities that recorded a clear upward movement in the 2027 rankings. The other institutions are Covenant University, Ahmadu Bello University, the University of Ilorin, Babcock University, Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of Benin.

THE released the 2027 rankings on September 30, 2026, during the World Academic Summit hosted by the University of Cape Town.

The 2027 edition is the largest in the history of the rankings, covering 2,297 universities across 118 countries and territories, compared with 2,191 institutions in the 2026 edition.

The University of Oxford retained the number-one position globally for the 11th consecutive year, finishing 0.1 points ahead of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Tsinghua University rose to 11th position, marking the highest-ever ranking for an Asian institution. For the first time, three Asian universities are placed among the global top 15.

Nigeria remains the most represented country in sub-Saharan Africa, with 29 universities ranked among the 69 institutions from the sub-region, representing 42 per cent. The figure increased from 24 Nigerian universities in the 2026 edition, with five new institutions entering the rankings.

Another 32 Nigerian universities were placed in the Reporter category, bringing the country’s total representation across the ranked and Reporter categories to 61 institutions.

Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos share the top position among Nigerian universities in the 801–1000 global ranking band.

Covenant University moved up from the 1001–1200 band to join the University of Ibadan and University of Lagos in the 801–1000 band.

Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, Landmark University and the University of Ilorin are ranked in the 1001–1200 band, bringing the number of Nigerian universities within the global top 1,200 to seven.