The University of Ibadan, UI, Oyo State, has regained its status as Nigeria’s best university in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, marking a major comeback after dropping to fourth position in 2025.

The new report, released on Thursday on THE’s website, ranked UI between 801 and 1,000 in the world, making it the best university in Nigeria again after last holding the top spot in 2023.

The 2026 ranking reviewed 2,191 universities from 115 countries across five key areas. UI’s improved performance helped it surpass Covenant University, reflecting its stronger focus on teaching, research, and global collaboration.