Times Higher Education is a reputed global assessment of university performances and rankings published annually.
In the 2025 edition, THE said it ranked more than 2,000 institutions from 115 countries and territories.
In the latest rankings, the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria displaced the University of Ibadan (UI) from the second place, the position occupied by the latter in the 2024 rankings.
Landmark University sits in third place, followed by UI, which now occupies the fourth spot, while the prestigious University of Lagos (UNILAG) completes the top five.
“We are thrilled by this recognition. Covenant University’s commitment to excellence in education and research has always been our driving force,” a Covenant University representative said in reaction to the rankings.
In the global context, Oxford holds on to the top spot for the ninth time in a row, bolstered by significant improvements in industry engagement and teaching.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), climbed up to second place, overtaking Stanford, which dropped to sixth.
THE Rankings base their evaluation on 18 key performance indicators, assessing institutions across teaching quality, research environment, research impact, industry collaboration, and international outlook.
Covenant University excelled in these categories, earning the highest spot among Nigerian institutions.
Top 22 ranked Nigerian universities
- Covenant University
- Ahmadu Bello University
- Landmark University
- University of Ibadan
- University of Lagos
- Bayero University
- Federal University of Technology, Akure
- Federal University of Technology, Minna
- University of Benin
- University of Ilorin
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka
- Ekiti State University
- Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
- Federal University of Technology, Owerri
- Federal University of Oye-Ekiti
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
- Lagos State University
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University
- Obafemi Awolowo University
- University of Port Harcourt
- Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
- Abia State University
Top 10 ranked universities globally
- University of Oxford
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Harvard University
- Princeton University
- University of Cambridge
- Stanford University
- California Institute of Technology
- University of California, Berkeley
- Imperial College London
- Yale University