• No Nigerian university ranked in QS top 1,000 for the third straight year, with only UI, UNILAG, and ABU appearing in lower bands.

• Nigerian institutions continue to underperform in global metrics such as research output, international collaboration, and employability. 
• Egypt leads Africa with 20 universities listed, while South Africa remains the only country on the continent with schools in the global top 300.

For the third consecutive year, no Nigerian university has made it into the top 1,000 of the QS World University Rankings, with the 2026 edition—released on June 19, 2025—once again excluding all institutions from the country from the leading global list.

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Only three Nigerian universities were included in the rankings at all: University of Ibadan (UI), University of Lagos (UNILAG), and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. UI and UNILAG were both placed in the 1,001–1,200 range for the second year running, while ABU made its first appearance, falling within the 1,201–1,400 band.

The rankings, compiled yearly by UK-based firm Quacquarelli Symonds, assess universities across eight major indicators, including academic standing, reputation among employers, research influence, faculty-to-student ratio, international outlook, and environmental and graduate outcomes.

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Despite producing thousands of graduates yearly and enjoying decades of local prestige, Nigerian universities continue to fall short in key areas such as international partnerships, research visibility, and graduate employability—factors that weigh heavily in the rankings.

Elsewhere on the continent, Egypt led Africa with 20 institutions listed, followed by South Africa with 11. Tunisia had four, while Ghana and Morocco recorded two each. Countries like Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Libya, and Sudan had one university apiece represented.

Notably, South Africa remained the only African nation with universities ranked in the global top 300, with the University of Cape Town landing at 150th position and the University of Witwatersrand ranked 291st.

QS World University Rankings 2026 – Top 10 Globally
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology – USA
2. Imperial College London – UK
3. Stanford University – USA
4. University of Oxford – UK
5. Harvard University – USA
6. University of Cambridge – UK
7. ETH Zurich – Switzerland
8. National University of Singapore – Singapore
9. University College London – UK
10. California Institute of Technology – USA

These institutions continue to dominate globally thanks to their strong academic reputations, impactful research, and wide-ranging international collaborations.

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Fast-rising Nollywood actress Esther Odeniyi, widely known by her stage name Berry White, has passed away.

The heartbreaking news was shared on Friday by fellow actress Bakare Zainab, who took to Instagram to appeal for help in reaching the late actress’s family.