Nigeria's universities fall short in global rankings as none make the top 1000. Only the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos secure spots in the 1100-1200 group. African counterparts like the University of Cape Town lead the rankings.
Despite Nigeria's emphasis on education, none of its universities made it to the top 1000 in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2025, which evaluated over 1,500 institutions worldwide. Only the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos secured spots in the 1100-1200 group.
In contrast, South Africa's University of Cape Town leads African rankings at 171, followed by others like the University of Witwatersrand and Stellenbosch University.
Notably, University of Johannesburg, Cairo University, and Addis Ababa University also represent Africa in the top 1000. The absence of Nigerian universities highlights potential challenges in funding, infrastructure, and academic standards. This disparity underscores the need for significant reforms to enhance the global competitiveness of Nigerian higher education institutions.
