What are the best Federal Universities in Nigeria according to Global rankings?
In this article, using the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings and Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, we have ranked the best Federal government-owned universities in Nigeria.
Ranking the best Federal Universities in Nigeria
The Times Higher
Education Ranking has only four Nigerian
Universities on their global rank, namely: Covenant University, University of
Ibadan, University of Lagos, and, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
In this ranking, the Times Higher Education rank of the three federal universities (University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, and, University of Nigeria, Nsukka)was averaged with their ranks in Webometrics Ranking of World Universities. The other Federal universities in Nigeria on this list were ranked according to their latest position on Webometrics Ranking of World Universities.
What is the Times Higher Education Ranking?
Times Education Ranking uses set standard performance
indicators to rank universities
globally. These performance indications include:
- Teaching (the learning environment);
- Research (volume, income, and reputation);
- Citations (research influence);
- International outlook (staff, students, and research); and
- Industry Income (knowledge transfer
What is the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities?
Webometrics Ranking of World
Universities ranks over 28,000 Higher Education Institutions around the world.
Webometrics rankings are based on the volume and quality of contents a university publishes on the internet.
Webometrics rankings consider:
- Presence rank of the universities (the total number of web pages
hosted in the main web domain of the university and gets recognized by Google) - Impact rank (the institution prestige, academic performance)
- Openness rank (global effort to set up institutional research
repositories) - Excellence rank (number of academic papers published in high
impact international journals)
Best Federal
Universities in Nigeria
Based on the latest Times Higher
Education World University Rankings and Webometrics Ranking of World
Universities, these are the best Federal universities in Nigeria:
1. University of Ibadan (UI)
The University of Ibadan, located
in Oyo State Nigeria, was established in 1948, making it the first university
in Nigeria. It started as a college under the University of London and in 1962
became a full-fledged independent university. Since its establishment, UI has
gone on to become one of the top Federal universities in Nigeria.
UI started with three departments
in Science, Medicine and Arts. Today, the university boasts of over thirteen
faculties including Agriculture and Forestry, Dentistry, Technology, Education,
Law, to mention a few.Also, the University of Ibadan has a zoological and
botanical garden, a media resource Centre and a Distance Learning Centre, where
part-time students can undergo the same courses as full-time students. Also, the University of Ibadan has the
largest Postgraduate School in Africa
The University of Ibadan has a
host of alumni who are renowned individuals in different sectors of Nigeria,
including 1986 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature Professor Woke Soyinka. And the
author of the most widely red book in contemporary African literature Chinua
Achebe.
Webometrics ranks the University of Ibadan as the best university in
Nigeria and the best Federal University in Nigeria. Times Higher
Education University Rankings ranks
the University of Ibadan among the top 600 universities in Nigeria.
2. University of Lagos (UNILAG)
Founded in 1962, the University of
Lagos is one of the first generational universities in Nigeria. The University
has three campuses in Lagos; the main campus in Akoka, the School of
Radiography at Yaba and the College of Medicine at Idi Araba, Surulere.
UNILAG offers over eighty-six
undergraduate and one hundred and forty postgraduate programs including PGD,
Masters/M. Phil and PhD. These degree programs are spread across twelve
faculties and five institutes, including a Centre for Distance Learning for
Postgraduate studies.
UNILAG’s academic programs are
organized into areas of specialization for the award of degrees and skill
acquisition. It also boasts of ten research centres fully equipped for research
purposes.
Webometrics ranks the University of Lagos as the fourth best university
in Nigeria and the third-best Federal university in Nigeria. Times Higher
Education University Rankings places
UNILAG among the top 1000 universities in the world.
3. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)
UNN is one of the foremost
federal universities in Nigeria. The University is Nigeria, Neumann was founded
in 1955, under the guidance of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. On the 7th of October, 1960,
UNN officially began operations as a tertiary institution in Nigeria.
The University comprises of four
campuses situated in Nsukka, Ituku, Ozalla, and Aba. The University became the
first full-fledged indigenous and first autonomous university in Nigeria.
UNN has a student population of
thirty-six thousand and boasts of one hundred and twelve academic departments
spread across fifteen faculties. The University of Nigeria offers eighty-two
undergraduate programs and over two hundred postgraduate programs.
UNN also prides itself on its
research institutes including African studies, education, developmental
studies, postgraduate studies, and herbal medicine and drugs research and
development.
Times Higher
Education University Rankings places
the University of Nigeria Nsuuka among the top 1000 universities in the
world. Webometrics, on the other hand, ranks it third amongst the best universities
in Nigeria and the second-best Federal University in Nigeria.
4. Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)
Formerly called the University of
Ife, Obafemi Awolowo University is located in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun
State. Founded in 1961, OAU commenced its first session in 1962.
On the 12th of May 1987, the
school was renamed Obafemi Awolowo University in honour of Chief Obafemi
Awolowo, the pioneer of education in Western Nigeria.
The university boasts of thirteen
faculties and two colleges, the Postgraduate College and a College of Health
Sciences administered in more than sixty departments.
Webometrics ranks OAU the fifth best university in Nigeria and the
fourth-best Federal University in Nigeria.
5. Ahmadu Bello University (ABU)
Ahmadu Bello University is a
Federal research university in Zaria, Kaduna State. Founded on the 4th of
January, 1962, ABU was formerly known as the University of Northern Nigeria.
ABU comprises of two campuses;
Samaru which is the main campus, and Kongo in Zaria. Ahmadu Bello University
operates several undergraduate and graduate programs. It has a sizeable medical
program, and ABU also boasts of a teaching hospital, considered to be one of
the largest teaching hospitals in Nigeria and Africa.
ABU has over twelve faculties and
boasts of about eighty-two academic departments with a student body of
thirty-five thousand. It also boasts of a conducive learning environment for
each student.
Webometrics ranks Ahmadu Bello University as the sixth-best universities
in Nigeria and the fifth-best Federal university in Nigeria.
6. University of Ilorin (UNILORIN)
Established in August 1975 by a
decree of the Federal Military Government, the University of Ilorin is a
Federal university in Ilorin, Kwara state.
UNILORIN boasts of fifteen
faculties, which include Arts, Sciences, Education, Engineering &
Technology, Agriculture, Law, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, to
mention a few. It also has over sixty departments and offers postgraduate
courses.
UNILORIN’s detachment from the
Academic Staff University Union (ASUU) ensures the smooth running of the
university’s operations.
Webometrics ranks UNILORIN as the seventh-best university in Nigeria and
the sixth-best Federal University in Nigeria.
7. The Federal University of Technology,
Akure (FUTA)
Founded in 1981, the Federal
University of Technology Akure is located in Akure, Ondo State.
FUTA was created in line with the
Federal Government’s goal to produce university graduates who are equipped with
both practical and theoretical knowledge of their course.
FUTA has nine faculties which
include; School of Science, School of Earth and Mineral Sciences, School of
Environmental Technology, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology,
School of Agricultural and Agricultural Technology, School of Management
Technology, School of Postgraduate Studies, School of Health and Health
Technology, School of Computing.
It also operates pre-degree
science programs, short-term courses, and University Advanced Basic Science
programs. The school has a student body of about thirteen thousand
undergraduates and two thousand postgraduates.
Webometrics ranks the Federal University of Akure as the eighth-best
university in Nigeria and the seventh-best Federal university in Nigeria.
8. University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT)
The Port Harcourt University was
established in 1975 as University College in Port Harcourt and got its
university status in 1977. UNIPORT started in 1977 with six faculties, which
has since increased to twelve.
It also has a student body of over
forty-four thousand undergraduates. UNIPORT records
This school offers postgraduate
studies and comprises of a student body of over forty-four thousand
undergraduates.
The University records several
notable alumni of which one is Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, former President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Webometrics ranks the University of Port Harcourt as the ninth-best
university in Nigeria and the eight best Federal University in Nigeria.
9. University of Benin (UNIBEN)
UNIBEN was founded in 1970 as an
institute of technology but got full-fledged university status in July 1971.
The University offers a wide range of courses and postgraduate courses, also
allowing international studentship.
The University of Benin produced
the first female vice-chancellor in Nigeria. Other notable UNIBEN alumni
including Babatunde Fashola, former Lagos State governor and current Minister
of Power, Work & Housing in Nigeria.
According to Webometrics, the University of Benin is ranked the eleventh best university in Nigeria and the ninth best Federal University in Nigeria.
10. Federal
University of Technology Minna
Founded
in 1983, the Federal University of Technology Minna specializes in technological education and designated for studies
in biotechnology and genetic engineering. FUTMINNA also dives into the
development of vaccines and drugs.
The university ten faculties of which include a School of
Agriculture and Agriculture Technology, School of Infrastructure, Process and
Engineering Technology, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology,
School of Entrepreneurship and Management Technology to mention a few.
FUTMINNA’s school of postgraduate studies offers postgraduate
degrees to national and international students.
Webometrics ranks FUTMINNA as the twelfth best university in Nigeria and the tenth best Federal University in Nigeria.
Final Word
Nigerian tertiary education is
divided into private institutions and federal institutions. We have listed the
best federal universities in Nigeria that are globally
respected for their academic performance and also provides a conducive learning
atmosphere for its students.
We have also created a list on the top private universities in Nigeria for your reading enjoyment.
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