The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has emerged as the Nigerian university with the highest score in research quality in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.

UNILORIN scored 69.4 per cent in the research quality category, the highest score recorded by any Nigerian university ranked in the latest edition.

The 2026 ranking was released on September 30, 2026, at the World Academic Summit hosted by the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

According to a statement by the university’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, the ranking assesses universities across five broad pillars: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry.

The statement quoted the University Ranking Implementation Project Manager, Prof. Suleiman Folorunso Ambali, as saying research quality remained UNILORIN’s strongest area.

“Research quality is UNILORIN’s strongest turf, and the University aims to convert it into wider international recognition and work towards the 801–1000 band in the next edition,” Ambali said.

The university said an analysis of the latest results showed that it had moved from the 1201–1500 band in the previous ranking to the 1001–1200 band.

Akogun said UNILORIN was now among seven Nigerian universities placed within the global top 1,200.

“Our University is now one of the seven Nigerian universities in the global top 1,200,” he said.

He added that UNILORIN recorded a higher research quality score than the University of Lagos, Bayero University, Kano, and the University of Ibadan.

According to him, research quality accounts for 30 per cent of the overall ranking score and measures the extent to which a university’s research is cited by scholars globally.

Reacting to the development, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, said the ranking reflected sustained research efforts by members of the university community.

“This outcome is not accidental but a reflection of years of patient, disciplined scholarship by colleagues who publish work that the world reads and cites,” Egbewole said.

The Vice Chancellor thanked lecturers, researchers, postgraduate supervisors and students whose work, he said, contributed to the university’s performance in the latest ranking.