The Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee says it is making progress with the 2026 national ranking of tertiary institutions, with league tables for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education expected to be released on December 15.
The committee’s Chairman, Prof. Peter Okebukola, disclosed this in Abuja, noting that the exercise was progressing through an approved 17-step process and would be submitted to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for approval before publication.
Okebukola also announced that 4,203 Nigerian academics had undergone training in publishing research in high-impact international journals as part of efforts to improve the research output, visibility and global competitiveness of the country’s tertiary institutions.
He said the ranking exercise, mandated by the Federal Ministry of Education, was designed not merely to place institutions on league tables but to encourage improvements in teaching, research and institutional performance.
“The national ranking exercise is not just about positioning institutions on league tables. It is also about stimulating improvements in teaching, research and international competitiveness,” he said.
According to him, Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions must produce research that attracts international readership and citations to improve their standing in global university rankings.
The December 15 date, he stressed, remained subject to the minister’s approval of the committee’s recommendations.
The announcement comes amid growing attention to Nigeria’s performance in international university rankings, following the release of the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, which showed an increase in the country’s representation from 24 universities in 2026 to 29 in 2027.
Nigeria had the highest number of ranked universities in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 42 per cent of the 69 institutions from the region included in the global ranking. Another 32 Nigerian universities were listed in the Reporter category, bringing the number of institutions participating in the ranking exercise to 61.
The Federal Ministry of Education had earlier disclosed that the national ranking framework would assess universities using 22 indicators covering different aspects of institutional performance, as part of efforts to promote healthy competition and improve the quality of tertiary education.
The international ranking development has also highlighted areas requiring improvement, particularly teaching quality, research environment, academic reputation, research productivity and international collaboration.
Okebukola said the capacity-building programme was part of the committee’s strategy to address some of these gaps, particularly the ability of Nigerian scholars to publish research in reputable international journals.
The three-day free masterclass, held from October 15 to 17, 2026, was organised by the Virtual Institute for Capacity Building in Higher Education, the training arm of NiTERAC, under the theme, “Publishing in High-Impact Journals: What Editors and Reviewers Look For.”
The programme featured lectures by Prof Olusola Adesope of Washington State University, United States; Prof Jibril Baba of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; and Prof Obinna Onwujekwe of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Participants were taken through practical exercises in which they acted as journal editors and reviewers, assessed manuscripts, identified weaknesses and practised responding to reviewers’ comments.
They were also introduced to the Okebukola 12-C Test for High-Impact Publication, an assessment tool designed to help researchers evaluate their manuscripts before submission, alongside techniques for identifying credible journals and understanding their international rankings.
The NiTERAC chairman said the practical sessions were intended to familiarise academics with international publishing standards, reduce avoidable manuscript rejection and improve their chances of getting published in reputable journals.
In the combined test and practical assessment, 23 participants emerged as joint highest scorers, each recording the maximum 3,060 marks.
The scholars were drawn from institutions including the National Open University of Nigeria, Abia State University, Nigerian Defence Academy, Covenant University, Babcock University, Lagos State University, Yaba College of Technology, Rivers State University, University of Benin and Obafemi Awolowo University.
Yaba College of Technology recorded the highest number of successful participants, with 65 scholars, followed by Lagos State University with 43 and Obafemi Awolowo University with 41.
Other institutions with notable participation included Nnamdi Azikiwe University with 39, the National Open University of Nigeria with 38, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture with 25, Olabisi Onabanjo University with 23, and the University of Ilorin and University of Benin with 22 each.
The National Open University of Nigeria and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology also recorded pass rates of 97 per cent and 95 per cent, respectively.
In a related development, the VICBHE management has approved the Dr Tunji Alausa Prize for five vice-chancellors who attained the Distinction Plus classification in the training programme.
The recipients are Prof Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde of Afe Babalola University, who scored 3,040 marks; Prof Oyedunni Sola Arulogun of Chrisland University, 2,945; Prof Gutti Babagana of Kashim Ibrahim University, 2,900; Prof Ibiyinka Agboola Fuwape of Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, 2,570; and Prof Akan Bassey Williams of Ritman University, 2,500.
Commending the vice-chancellors for participating in the training, Okebukola said their involvement demonstrated the importance of continuous learning and leadership by example in strengthening academic standards.
He said, “Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions must produce research that attracts international readership and citations if they are to improve their positions in global rankings.”
Okebukola further announced that the institute would organise another free practical masterclass in mid-November, focusing on research visibility and how academics could make their scholarship more discoverable, read and cited.
The forthcoming programme is expected to feature scholars from the African Academy of Sciences, led by its President, Prof Friday Okonofua, and Dr Chika Ezeugwu of Harvard University, alongside Okebukola.
He said the training would equip Nigerian academics with practical skills to increase the visibility, readership and citation impact of their research publications.
The NiTERAC chairman expressed appreciation to Alausa for supporting the national ranking initiative, reaffirming the committee’s commitment to improving the quality, visibility and international competitiveness of Nigerian tertiary institutions.
