By Iroyin Yoruba Television
The Federal Government has commenced a national ranking exercise covering Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education as part of efforts to establish a domestic framework for measuring performance across the country's tertiary education system.
The exercise is being coordinated by the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee under the Federal Ministry of Education.
The committee said the assessment will use 22 performance indicators for universities, while the broader exercise will also cover polytechnics and colleges of education.
The three categories of tertiary institutions are expected to be assessed and ranked before December 15, 2026.
GOVERNMENT SEEKS A NATIONAL BENCHMARK
The national ranking is intended to provide Nigerian tertiary institutions with a domestic benchmark for measuring their performance.
Rather than relying entirely on international ranking systems, the exercise will allow institutions to assess their performance against other Nigerian institutions using indicators developed for the country's education environment.
The committee said the exercise is expected to help institutions identify areas requiring improvement and develop strategies for strengthening their performance.
It is also intended to encourage competition among institutions.
22 INDICATORS FOR UNIVERSITIES
The university assessment will use 22 indicators, with their respective weightings agreed with the League of Directors of Academic Planning.
The indicators cover different aspects of university performance, including teaching, research, institutional data, industry engagement and international outlook.
Research funding and publication output are among the areas identified as important to improving the performance of Nigerian institutions.
The committee also highlighted doctoral output, international collaboration, academic reputation and the ability of institutions to engage with industry.
WHY THE RANKING IS BEING INTRODUCED
The Federal Government's initiative comes as Nigerian universities continue to seek stronger positions in international rankings.
The latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings included 29 Nigerian universities, compared with 24 in the previous edition.
Nigeria recorded the highest number of ranked universities among countries in sub-Saharan Africa in the latest edition.
The increase in the number of Nigerian institutions appearing in the global ranking has nevertheless been accompanied by calls for stronger research output, international collaboration and academic reputation.
The new national ranking is expected to provide a separate mechanism for examining these issues within Nigeria.
29 NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES IN GLOBAL RANKING
The 2027 Times Higher Education ranking assessed 2,297 universities across 118 countries and territories.
Twenty-nine Nigerian universities were included in the ranked table.
The University of Ibadan, University of Lagos and Covenant University were placed in the 801–1,000 global band.
Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, Landmark University and the University of Ilorin were placed in the 1,001–1,200 band.
A further 32 Nigerian universities were listed as Reporters after submitting data but not meeting all requirements for inclusion in the ranked tables.
The figures provide the background against which the Federal Government is developing its domestic assessment system.
RESEARCH REMAINS A MAJOR FOCUS
The education ranking committee has identified research as one of the areas where Nigerian institutions need continued improvement.
Research funding, publication productivity and doctoral output are among the areas requiring sustained attention.
Universities have also been encouraged to strengthen collaboration with institutions and researchers outside Nigeria.
Such partnerships can provide opportunities for joint research, academic exchanges and participation in international conferences.
The committee also identified accurate institutional data submission as important because ranking systems depend on reliable information supplied by universities.
POLYTECHNICS AND COLLEGES OF EDUCATION INCLUDED
The new exercise is not limited to universities.
Polytechnics and colleges of education will also be assessed as part of the national tertiary education ranking.
This broader approach means the government will have a framework for examining performance across different categories of tertiary institutions.
For polytechnics, the assessment can provide greater visibility for technical and vocational education, while colleges of education can be assessed within the context of their role in teacher training.
The inclusion of the three subsectors is intended to provide a more comprehensive picture of Nigeria's tertiary education system.
INSTITUTIONS TO RECEIVE A DOMESTIC BENCHMARK
The ranking exercise could give institutions information they can use to identify weaknesses and plan improvements.
A university with challenges in research output, for example, could use its assessment to identify areas where additional investment is required.
Another institution may need to strengthen teaching facilities, postgraduate programmes, international partnerships or links with industry.
The objective is therefore not simply to produce a table of institutions but to provide information that can support institutional development.
DATA COLLECTION AND VALIDATION
The national ranking process will require institutions to provide information that can be assessed against the agreed indicators.
The data will then need to undergo validation before the final rankings are produced.
This process is important because the reliability of a ranking depends on the accuracy and consistency of the information submitted by participating institutions.
The committee has set December 15, 2026 as the target for completing the three subsector rankings.
WHAT THE EXERCISE COULD MEAN FOR STUDENTS
For students and prospective students, a national ranking could provide another source of information when comparing tertiary institutions.
However, rankings are only one measure of an institution's performance.
Students may also consider factors such as available programmes, tuition and other costs, location, facilities, accreditation, accommodation, graduate opportunities and the specific strengths of a department.
The national assessment could nevertheless provide additional information about institutional performance in areas such as teaching, research and industry engagement.
THE BROADER CHALLENGE
The ranking exercise comes at a time when Nigeria's tertiary education system is facing pressure to produce graduates with stronger academic, technical and professional skills.
Improving rankings alone will not resolve challenges involving funding, infrastructure, staffing or learning resources.
The value of the exercise will ultimately depend on whether institutions use the findings to identify problems and make measurable improvements.
It will also depend on the quality of the data collected and the transparency of the assessment process.
NATIONAL RANKING TARGETED FOR DECEMBER
The Federal Government expects the assessment of universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to be completed before December 15.
The exercise will give Nigeria its own framework for comparing tertiary institutions while complementing international assessments.
For universities, the 22-indicator framework will examine multiple dimensions of institutional performance rather than relying on a single measure.
The broader objective is to strengthen Nigeria's tertiary education system, improve institutional performance and help Nigerian institutions compete more effectively on the international stage.
As the national ranking process moves forward, attention will turn to data collection, validation and the eventual publication of the results.