The University of Ibadan (UI) has emerged as Nigeria’s highest-ranked university in the 2026 SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR), reaffirming its leadership in research, innovation and societal impact.
The latest rankings, released by Spain-based SCImago Lab, evaluated universities and research institutions worldwide using three key indicators: research performance, innovation outputs and societal impact measured through web visibility.
According to the 2026 rankings, the top 10 universities in Nigeria are:
- University of Ibadan
- University of Lagos
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka
- Covenant University
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
- Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
- University of Calabar
- Obafemi Awolowo University
- Federal University of Technology, Akure
- Bayero University, Kano
The rankings show that Nigerian universities continue to improve their global research visibility, with the University of Ibadan maintaining its position as the country’s leading institution.
SCImago evaluates institutions using a composite methodology that gives weight to research excellence, innovation through patents and technology transfer, and societal impact based on online visibility. The rankings are widely referenced by policymakers, researchers and prospective students seeking to assess the research strength of higher education institutions.The 2026 SCImago rankings place University of Ibadan first nationally, followed by University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, Covenant University, and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.