See the Lists of best universities in Nigeria released (NUC)

The top five positions were dominated by first generation universities, with University of Lagos (second), University of Benin (third) Obafemi Awolowo University (fourth) and Ahmadu Bello University occupying the fifth position respectively.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has officially released a list of the top Universities in Nigeria.

According to their ranking, University of Ibadan emerged top on the list as the best university in the country.

The top five positions were dominated by first generation universities, with University of Lagos (second), University of Benin (third) Obafemi Awolowo University (fourth) and Ahmadu Bello University occupying the fifth position respectively.

The ranking indicated that the University of Ilorin is sixth, Lagos State University (11th) while the Covenant University led Pan African University (18th) to occupy 13th position.

University of Jos (seventh), University of Port Harcourt (eighth), University of Maiduguri (ninth), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (10th), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (12th), University of Nigeria (14th), Federal University of Technology (FUTA) (15th), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, (16th), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (17th) Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) (19th), Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola (20th) also made the list.

Vice Chancellor of UI, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka, while reacting to the ranking, stated that the university was thinking more about ranking among the top five in Africa in next few years.

"Being number one in Nigeria and number one in West Africa should not be taken for granted. The real challenge is for us to be ranked among the top five in Africa in the next few years. This is do able given the pedigree of Ibadan over the last 68 years. As we speak, we have perhaps the most highly developed postgraduate school, with easily the largest number of master’s and doctoral students in sub-Saharan Africa.

He continued: “The UI School of Business has been approved by the NUC, and it is set to take off soon with her flagship MBA programme, which used to be run by our Department of Economics. The UI Research Foundation (UIRF) set up by the immediate past Vice Chancellor, Prof Isaac Folorunso Adewole, to reposition research activities in this institution, is perhaps the first of its type in Africa."