Nigeria currently has over 200 Universities across the country, both states and Federal.
But the big question is are the Universities up standard academically and infrastructure wise? Can the Nigerian Universities compete with their counterparts in world? Again, what are the creteria for measuring or ranking?
In this article, we are looking at the 10 ranked best Universities in Nigeria in line with the world University rankings and National University Commission and other relevant Global University rankings, In achieving this task, we consider years of establishment, infrastructures and long years of academic records of such institutions in Nigeria.
Below ere are the 10 ranked best Universities in Nigeria.
- The University of Ibadan (U.I) : This is the first university and ranked one of the best in Nigeria, established in 1947. It was an affiliate of the University of London with just three faculties then namely Arts, Science and Medicine.
The institution however grew to become a full-blown University independent of its own in 1962 metamorphosing into 13 faculties – Arts, Science, Agriculture and Forestry, Clinical Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences, Education, Social Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Technology, Law, Public Health and Dentistry.
The University College of Medicine Ibadan which is the oldest has been known to be very potent and vibrant Faculty, serving as an umbrella of Basic Medical Science, Clinical Science, Public health and dentistry.
The university also has academic units or departments such as African Studies, Centre for Child Adolescent, Mental Health, Centre for Educational Media Resources Studies, Institute of Child Health, Institute of Education, centre for sustainable development and centre for entrepreneurship and innovation. Others are centre for Drugs Discovery, Development and Product and centre for control and prevention.
The university is currently hosts of the Pan African university life and earth sciences institute on behalf of the West African Sub-region. The programme is just 2 years old with about 97 students from other African countries.
The population strength of the university is over 40,000 students accommodating over half of its students and staff.
Products from the University of Ibadan are Claude Ake, the late Chinua Achebe, the late Chief Gani Fawehimi, Cyprian Ekwensi and many other notable figures.
- The University of Nigeria, Nnsukka (UNN): has its slogan as (Lion and the Lioness) was founded by the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1955.
On 7 October, 1960, the university officially opened to a full-fledged university with an initial students enrolment of 220 and academic staff. In addition, it has four campuses namely: Nnsukka Campus, Enugu Campus, Ituku Ozalla and Abe Campus.
The university has over 11,000 hectares of land with 15 faculties and 102 academic departments, 82 undergraduates and 211 post graduate programmes.
The university has a mission to launch the institution to one of the topmost in the world with an ICT hub in West Africa. This innovation is a private sector initiative under the supervision of two engineering graduates of the university.
The University of Nigeria has produced many notable figures including Mr. Charles Soludo, (former CBN Governor) between 2004 – 2009, late Dora Akunyili, Prof. Pat Utomi, the Director of Lagos Business School, Dr. Peter Odili, former governor of Rivers State, Mr. Peter Obi former governor and vice presidential aspirant and Godwin Emefele, current CBN governor etc.
- Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU): formerly known as University of Ife. The university was founded in 1962.
OAU, as it is popularly called is known for its high academic records over the years. Besides, the school has a large area of land covering over 11,500 hectares and boarding facilities of the institution hosts virtually all its students. The school is also reputed to have the best architectural building in Africa.
One remarkable feature about the Obafemi Awolowo University is that it has a Central Campus accommodating all its students, staff both academic and non academic as well as research farm institute.
The university is ranked one of the foremost and 10 best in academic records in Nigeria and Africa at large having a number of units or departments such as:
- The Centre for Energy Research and Development
- The National Centre For Technology Management
- The African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technical Education
- The United Nations Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Survey etc.
The university has a vision to compete with other top class universities in the world in academic records through modern day technology as demonstrated by its application of modern technology in teaching, research and community services by ensuring practical solutions to social, cultural, political and economic problems.
Notable Alumni of the institution is the Nobel Laureate – Prof. Wole Soyinka and many others.
- The University of Lagos (UNILAG): (proudly echoed as university of 1st choice and nation’s pride) came into being in 1962.
The university is rated 10 top best in Nigeria. It began with 3 campuses – Akoka, Yaba and Surulere.
It had an initial start of 131 students and the school has grown big to about 40,000 students and 3,000 staff strength. The university currently has about 12 faculties – Arts, Basic Medical Science, Business Administration, Clinical Sciences, Dental Science, Education, Engineering, Environmental Science, Law, Pharmacy, Science and Social Science.
The university also has two centres – Centre for Human Rights and Centre for Regional Integration and Borderland Studies. It also offers courses in Accounting, Business Administration, Science Education and Library Information Services.
The University of Lagos is globally known for its high academic record and sound graduates.
No wonder, there was a swift reaction of condemnation when the former President Jonathan attempted to change the name of the university to M.K.O. Abiola University.
Notable alumi of the institute include the present Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Dr. D.K. Olukoya the General Overseer of MFM, Pastor E. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and many others.
- The University of Benin (UNIBEN): is one of the 10 best universities in Nigeria and Africa with two campuses – Ugbowo Campus and Akenwa campus.
The school has a large population of over 35,000 students comprising full time, diploma and part time students.
The university is known for its high academic records for its collaboration with other universities across the world both local and international bodies such as the USAID, United Negro College Fund (UNCF) United Materials Research and Development Council of Nigeria, NIFOR etc in the areas of agriculture, public health and engineering.
Recently, the college of medicine of the institution broke world records for successfully correcting the gene in a sickle cell patient.
The institution is also blessed with fantastic architectural buildings having the modern day technological facilities in the area of ICT to compete with world class universities.
The institution has sports complex in Ugbowo campus where most sporting events take place. The institution has produced great sports men and women who have brought laureate to Nigeria.
The school is the first university in the country to ever have female vice chancellor in the person of Prof. Alele Williams who was then referred to as “Iron lady”.
Products of the institution include Babatunde Fashola, the former governor of Lagos State and the current minister of power works and Housing and other notable figures in the country.
- 6. Ambrose Alli University: Formerly known as Edo State University is named after the founder Prof. Ambrose Folunsho Alli who was the governor of the then Bendel State under the first Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo.
The school originally started in Emuado, Ekpoma, a temporary site before relocating to its present permanent location and the school has two main campuses – the Central main and the medical college both in Ekpoma.
The institution which currently runs degree, Post graduate and doctorate degree programmes has over 40,000 students and about 10 faculties namely:
Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Environmental Design made up of Architecture and Geography and Regional Planning, Faculty of Natural Science, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Agriculture and Faculty of Engineering.
The institution has well equipped modern day structures such as Sports Complex, the Pavillion, Theatre Complex capacity of 5,000 seats, modern hostels that host over 70% of its students.
The architectural buildings of the institution have continued to serve as architectural tourist attraction or centres for other institutions in Nigeria and Africa.
The academic records of the Ambrose Alli University remain unimaginable high with Faculty of Law always take the lead at the Nigerian Law School on yearly basis.
The Architecture department ranks topmost among its counterparts in both Nigerian and African universities and a consultancy outfit providing a number of services to the university and its wider society.
The medical unit also had its share of good academic record with the proven record of lassa fever discovery by a renowned professor of the university, Prof. Agbonlaho, a professor of chemistry and former Vice Chancellor of the institution.
This laudable achievement has taken the name of the institution to Georgia in USA and other countries of the world. No wonder, people often refer to the institution as “Book School”.
This great citadel of learning has produced great men and women of high repute among whom are Mr. Tony Elumelu, the former M.D. of UBA and now the founder of Elumelu Foundation, Pastor Oyakhilome, General Overseer of Christ Embassy, Festus Keyamo (SAN) and social activist and many others.
- Covenant University: Is a private University and rated one of the best universities in the country which came into being in the year 2000.
The institution which was founded by Bishop Oyedepo in Living Faith Church whose mission was to turn the educational platform using the Christian life values became fully operational in 2002 with the official receipt of licence from the National University Commission of Nigeria.
Covenant university, according to the founder was built around core values of “spirituality, possibility, mentality, capacity building, integrity, responsibility, diligence and sacrifice” to raise the fallen academic standard in the country to the world leading class Christian mission university.
He said the goal is to transform the products of the university into great thinkers, unimaginable managers and super-resourceful technocrats in all fields of human endeavour.
The institution is actually living up to its set objective and doing very well with the university rated one of the best in Nigeria and among the top 1000 rated universities in the world within short time of its existence.
- Ahmadu Bello University: (ABU) named after the Saduna of Sokoto, the Premier of the Region came into existence in 1962. The university is rated one of the 10 best in Nigeria.
The institution, we learnt began its operation in 1962 in a temporary sites of the then Nigeria College of Arts and Science and Technology, the Clerical Training Centre, Kango, the Samaru Agricultural Research Studies and Shiaka Livestock Farm.
Owing to low level of education in the Northern part of the country, it became imperative that a university be set up leading to the setting up of a commission.
Ashby Commission on Post School Certificate and Higher Education in Nigeria’s recommendation ultimately led to the setting up of Ahmadu Bello University.
The institution had its original 15 faculties namely: Agriculture, Engineering, Law, Science and its initial 426 pioneer students.
Ahmadu Bello University has become very big with 2 campuses, Post graduate school and 82 academic departments. It now has a population strength of over 40,000 students that cut across ethnic diversities of the country and entire Africa.
The institution has 5 institutions, 6 special centres, division of agricultural colleges, school of Basic and Remedial studies. It also has a Demonstration secondary school, a primary school and a consultancy outfit providing a number of services to the university and its society at large.
The institution has many affiliates including colleges of Education, Polytechnics and School of Basic Studies. In addition, Ahmadu Bello University has succeeded in nurturing 2 University colleges – Bayero College into Bayero University Kano and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University of Technology, Bauchi.
The university has produced a number of notable figures in the country today including the outspoken Senator Dino Melaye.
- University of Abuja: had its humble beginning from a temporary site of 3 blocks of building originally meant for primary school in Gwagwalada area known as mini Campus. It however metamorphosed into a full-fledged university campus covering over 11,000 hectares of land along Abuja road.
Today, the university can boast of modern day structures – The Senate building, Olypic Size Sports Complex, Medical facilities and others.
Again most courses hitherto not accredited are now accredited by the National University Commission (NUC) and the institution now has a population of over 10,000 students.
- The University of Ilorin: proudly called UNILORIN is ranked one of the 10 best universities in Nigeria.
The institution which began with about 200 students became full academic operational on the 25th of October, 1976 with its temporary site in Kwara Polytechnics and about 7 faculties namely Arts, Education, Engineering, Science, Business, Social Sciences and Basic Clinic Sciences.
It has high academic records making it one of the best top 20 universities in Africa and ranked among 2000 universities in the world.
Currently, the university has expanded with an additional 8 faculties including Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences, Management Sciences, Physical Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Law and College of Health Sciences.
Recently, the university embarked on a 10,000 hectares of oil palm plantation. This development will not only earn the institution foreign exchange in no distant future, but will help reduce the high rate of unemployment in the state.
The University of Ilorin is revealed by JAMB to have the highest number of applicants seeking admission into it, a development which implies that Unilorin is doing very well and is ranked one of the ten best and most preferred choice of universities in Nigeria.
In summary, the above ten mentioned ranked best Universities in Nigeria are doing well. However, the institutions and indeed entire Universities in Nigeria need more funding to carry out researches and purchase modern day technology devices including training of lecturers to meet the current world standard in Universities.