The University of Ibadan (UI) has been as the highest Nigerian university in the July 2026 edition of the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) following in the country.
According to the ranking data, 32,148 universities and higher education institutions were assessed globally, with UI occupying the 1,291st position worldwide and first in Nigeria.
UNILAG ranked 1,355th globally and second nationally, while the University of Nigeria (UNN) came third in Nigeria and 1,397th globally.
The July 2026 ranking positions the Premier and UNILAG as Nigeria’s leading universities, although the country’s highest-ranked institution remains outside the global top 1,000 in the Webometrics ranking.
According to the data, Covenant University, Ota, was ranked fourth in Nigeria and 1,522nd globally, followed by Landmark University, which placed fifth nationally and 1,659th worldwide.
The University of Ilorin ranked sixth in Nigeria and 1,883rd globally, while Obafemi Awolowo University came seventh nationally and 1,986th globally.
Ahmadu Bello University occupied the eighth position in Nigeria and 2,068th globally, followed by the University of Port Harcourt at 2,077th and the Federal University of Technology, Akure, at 2,203rd globally.
Other Nigerian universities among the leading institutions included Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Bayero University Kano, University of Calabar, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Federal University of Technology, Minna, University of Benin, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, University of Uyo and Lagos State University.
The National Open University of Nigeria, University of Abuja, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, University of Jos, University of Maiduguri, Osun State University, Pan-Atlantic University Lagos, Redeemer’s University and Delta State University also featured prominently among the ranked Nigerian institutions.
The ranking further placed Kwara State University, Ekiti State University, Ebonyi State University, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, American University of Nigeria, Imo State University, Ambrose Alli University, Kogi State University, Niger Delta University, Rivers State University, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Igbinedion University and Kebbi State University of Science and Technology among the top 50 Nigerian institutions.
The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities is published biannually and assesses higher education institutions using indicators relating to visibility, openness and excellence. The ranking is designed to reflect institutions’ digital presence, accessibility of scholarly resources and research impact.
Globally, Harvard University retained the number one position, followed by Stanford University. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ranked third, while the University of Oxford and the University of Washington occupied the fourth and fifth positions respectively.
Cornell University, the University of Michigan, the University of California, Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University and Columbia University completed the global top 10.
The global ranking was dominated by American institutions, which accounted for seven of the top 10 positions, while the United Kingdom had Oxford among the leading institutions. The University of Toronto emerged as the highest-ranked Canadian university, placing 12th globally.
Harvard’s continued dominance reflected its strong performance across the web-based indicators used by Webometrics, while Stanford maintained its second position.