Questions like “what is the best university in Nigeria today?” or “what are the best universities in Nigeria according to NUC?” are some of the major questions which almost every concerned Nigerian wants to get answers to, and TheNigerianInfo like other Nigerian information websites was launched to give accurate and verifiable answers to questions like this.
Interested in knowing these best Nigerian universities for 2019? Read on…
Education they say is the key to a better life and many Nigerians have found out that there’s some truth in this fact.
In recent times, education in Nigeria(especially in higher institutions) has been a major challenge for its citizens. This is attributed to instability in the Nigerian government, inadequate funding of the education sector, and frequent strikes by academic (ASUU) and other non-academic unions (NASU, NLC, TLC) in the country.
Amongst these challenges, some Nigerian universities have managed to stand out hence earning them a spot on the list of the top 10 best universities in Nigeria 2020.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Writers at TheNigerianInfo.com DO NOT rank universities. We rely solely on verifiable data gotten from various commissions and websites in Nigeria and abroad.
The data used in this post was gotten from these bodies:
- The National Universities Commission (NUC) – The governing body of all universities in Nigeria
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking
- QS World University Rankings
- U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking
- Academic Ranking of World Universities
- Reuters
Below is a comprehensive list of the top 10 best universities in Nigeria today. This list narrows down to the very best university in Nigeria (2020).
Let’s start.
Top 10 Best Universities In Nigeria 2020 (Latest Ranking)
1) University Of Ibadan (UI)
The University of Ibadan(UI) is the oldest degree-awarding institution in Nigeria which is located in Ibadan, Oyo State, South-western Nigeria.
It was established in 1948 as the University College Ibadan under the supervision of the University of London which supervised academic activities and awarded degrees to students in the institution till 1967 when it became a fully functioning higher institution in Nigeria.
Over the years, this university has proven to be one of the best higher institutions one can attend in the country.
The University of Ibadan is considered the best university in Nigeria and the first university on this list of the top 10 best Nigerian universities in 2020.
Faculties
The University of Ibadan currently has over 75 courses which are grouped into 16 faculties. These faculties are listed below.
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Arts
- Basic Medical Sciences
- Clinical Sciences
- Dentistry
- Education
- Law
- Pharmacy
- Public Health
- Science
- Technology
- The Social Sciences
- Veterinary Medicine
- Renewable natural resources
- Environmental design and management
- Economics
Notable Alumni
- Prof. Wole Soyinka
- Kayode Fayemi
- William Kumuyi
- Chukuemeka Ike
- Emeka Anyaoku
- Chinua Achebe
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2) University Of Nigeria, Nsukka
Occupying the second position on our list of the top 10 best universities in Nigeria is the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. It is a Federal government-owned and managed university which is located in Nsukka, Enugu State, South-eastern Nigeria.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka was the first full-fledged indigenous and first autonomous university in Nigeria which was founded by the then Nigerian president – Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1955 but became a fully functioning educational institution on 7 October 1960.
This institution currently boasts of many achievements since its inception. One such is the Roar Nigeria Hub which is one of the full-fledged university embedded ICT Hub in West Africa and probably the biggest in Nigeria. It is an initiative that is currently supervised by two engineering graduates of the university.
Faculties & Courses
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka(UNN) has 15 Faculties and over 100 departments. Also, the University offers 82 undergraduate and 211 postgraduate programs.
The 15 faculties available in UNN are listed below.
- Faculty of Agriculture
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Biological Sciences
- Faculty of Business Administration
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Faculty of Environmental Studies
- Faculty of Health Science and Technology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Faculty of Physical Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Medical Sciences
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Notable Alumni
- Godwin Emefiele (Gov. Central Bank Of Nigeria)
- Charles Soludo (CBN Governor, 2004 -2009)
- Herbert Wigwe (CEO, Access Bank)
- Peter Odili
- Peter Obi
- Dora Akunyili (Late)
- Chimaroke Nnamani
- Sullivan Chime e.t.c
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3) Covenant University, Ota
Covenant University(founded in 1999) is a private university which is located in Sango Ota, Ogun State, South-western Nigeria. It is a Christian University that is owned and managed by Living Faith Church Worldwide a church that was founded by one of the richest African pastors – Bishop David Oyedepo.
This university is arguably the best private university in Nigeria and this has become a known fact in recent times. It is also a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Association of African Universities and National Universities Commission(NUC).
So far, Covenant University has recorded a lot of successes in the Nigerian education(higher education) sector. Some of these achievements include being rated as the Nigerian university with the best software developers by TechCabal, one of the top 5 best Nigerian universities for postgraduate studies by Nigerian Bulletin, being rated the best private university in Nigeria by numerous websites, and a whole lots of other achievements which are not listed in this article.
Faculties & Courses
Covenant University currently has 4 colleges/faculties with over 30+ courses and these colleges are listed below.
- College of Business and Social Sciences (CBSS)
- College of Leadership Development Studies (CLDS)
- College of Engineering (COE)
- College of Science and Technology (CST)
Notable Alumni
- Ikechukwu Eric Ahiauzu (Ric Hassani)
- Ini Dima-Okojie
- Simisola Ogunleye (Simi)
- Ben’Jamin Obadje (Spellz)
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4) Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (OAU)
Occupying the 4th spot on this list of the top 10 best Nigerian universities 2020 is Obafemi Awolowo University – a university located in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun State, South-western Nigeria.
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is a federal government-owned and operated Nigerian university which was founded in 1961 but commenced classes for new intakes in October 1962.
OAU covers a very vast area of land. With over 11,862 hectares of land allocated to the university, OAU is regarded and the largest university in terms of landmass.
Obafemi Awolowo University offers undergraduate and post-graduate programs in fields of specialization spanning the humanities, the arts, the natural sciences, the social sciences, the medical sciences, engineering, and technology. (Wikipedia)
Faculties & Courses
Obafemi Awolowo University currently has 13 faculties and two colleges (the Postgraduate College and the College of Health Sciences) and over 60 departments/courses.
- Faculty Of Law
- Faculty Of Social Sciences
- Faculty Of Science
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Faculties of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Administration
- Faculty of Environmental Design and Management
Notable Alumni
- 2Baba
- Seun Osewa
- Afeez Oyetoro
- Femi Falana
- Jimoh Ibrahim
- Dele Momodu
- Femi Otedola
- Akinwumi Adeshina
- Oluremi Tinubu and a lot of other notable alumni from this prestigious Nigerian university.
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5) Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU)
This is another world-class university located in Zaria, Kaduna, Nothern Nigeria. Ahmadu Bello University (ABU or ABUZaria for short) is a federal government-owned and managed research university in Nigeria, the first of its kind in Northern Nigeria.
The university operates two campuses – Samaru which is the main campus and Kongo which is located in Zaria. The Samaru campus hosts most of the faculties in the school while the Kongo campus hosts only the faculty of Law and Administration.
This university was launched in 1962(just a year after OAU was established) and since then, the university has proven to be one of its kind in the country.
ABUZaria as its fondly called is one of the best universities in Nigeria and the best university in Northern Nigeria 2020.
Faculties & Courses
ABU was launched with just 4 faculties and 15 departments. With time, the university grew and currently has 12 academic faculties and over 80+ departments, five institutes, six specialized centers, and a postgraduates school.
The 12 academic faculties which are currently available at ABU are listed below.
- Faculty of Administration
- Faculty of Agriculture
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Environmental Design
- Faculty of Life Science
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Physical Sciences
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Notable Alumni
- Atiku Abubakar
- Azubike Ihegirika
- Ibrahim Idris
- Donald Duke
- Yahaya Bello
- Dino Melaye
- Namadi Sambo
- Nuhu Ribadu
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6) University Of Lagos (UNILAG)
The University of Lagos which is often referred to as UNILAG is a federal government-owned research university which is located in Akoka, Lagos State, South-western Nigeria.
Established in 1962, this university has proven to be one of the best Nigerian higher institutions and the first choice university of many admission seekers in the country.
UNILAG is also one of the top Nigerian universities and occupies the 6th position on our list of the top 10 best universities in Nigeria 2020.
Faculties & Courses
When UNILAG was founded back in 1967, it had a total number of 131 students. Subsequently, the university grew and now has over 40,000 students which cut across 12 faculties in the school. The faculties in the University Of Lagos are listed below.
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Basic Medical Science
- Faculty of Business Administration
- Faculty of Clinical Sciences
- Faculty of Dental Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Environmental Science
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Pharmacy,
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Social Science
Notable Alumni
- Daniel Olukoya
- Funke Akindele
- Yemi Osinbajo
- Wale Adenuga
- Omoyele Sowore
- Reekado Banks
- Linda Ikeji
- Oby Ezekwesili
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7) Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA)
The Federal University of Technology, Minna is a federal government-owned and managed post-secondary educational institution(university) which is located in Minna, Niger State, Northern Nigeria.
FUTMINNA as it is popularly known as is an educational institution that focuses majorly on technological education. This university also is known for its excellence in Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering i.e the manufacture and development of vaccines and drugs.
This university occupies a vast area of land(about 10,650 hectares) and it is also the first technology university on this list of the best universities in Nigeria.
FUTMINNA is also the best technology university in Nigeria 2020 as students of this institution have produced innovative pieces of equipment, some of which include Solar air heater, Motor-car crankshaft, Gearing system for crane hoist drives, Rice de-stoning machine, Maize sheller, Multi-purpose grinder, Irrigation models, Poultry feeder e.t.c.
Faculties & Courses
Currently, FUTMINNA has 10 faculties(schools) and they’re listed below.
- School of Agriculture and Agriculture Technology
- School of Infrastructure, Process and Engineering Technology
- School of Electrical Engineering Technology
- School of Entrepreneurship and Management Technology
- School of Environmental Technology
- School of Life Sciences
- School of Physical Sciences
- School of Information and Communication Technology
- School of Technology Education
- School of Post Graduate Studies
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8) University of Ilorin (UNILORIN)
Occupying the 8th position on this list of the top 10 best universities in Nigeria, we UNILORIN. This is a federal government-owned educational institution which is located in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
UNILORIN is arguably one of the best universities in Nigeria today. This university has an approximate number of over 50,000 students and a staff strength of up to 4,000 staff.
In 2014, UNILORIN became the first Nigerian university to be ranked among the top 20 universities in Africa. This university made it to the 20th position in Africa, and the 1824th in the world (2014 data).
Not too long ago, JAMB – a body which is responsible for conducting matriculation examinations for students in Nigeria revealed that between 2012 and 2016, UNILORIN had the highest number of applicants(admission seekers) and in 2018, UNILORIN screened a total number of 48,666 applicants who seek admission in the institution.
These facts convey something into our minds and that’s the fact that this university is one of the most preferred Nigerian universities for a lot of admission seekers in the country and this feat doesn’t come easily.
Faculties & Courses
The University of Ilorin currently boasts of over 95 courses which are divided into 15 faculties. These faculties are listed below.
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Agriculture
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences
- Faculty of Life Sciences
- Faculty of Management Sciences
- Faculty of Physical Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering and Technology
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and Law
- College of Health Sciences (with 2 Faculties-Basic Medical and Clinical Sciences)
- Institute of Education and Unilorin Sugar Research Institute)
- The Postgraduate School.
Notable Alumni
- Is-haq Oloyede (Registrar, JAMB)
- Nkem Owoh (Osuofia)
- Abdulfatah Ahmed
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9) University Of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT)
The University of Port Harcourt is a federal government-owned university that was established in the year 1975 as the University College, Port Harcourt but was given University status in 1977.
UNIPORT is regarded as one of the best Nigerian universities in the South-southern part of the country and was ranked the sixth-best university in Africa and the best university in Nigeria by Times Higher Education (THE) in 2015.
This university has proven to be one of its kind in Nigeria and it has also produced a high number of high-ranking individuals in Nigeria which includes the former president of Nigeria – Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Faculties & Courses
The University of Port-Harcourt originally had had six schools in 1977 when it started operating as a fully functioning university but changed from the school system to the faculty system in 1982 and now has 12 faculties.
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Management Sciences
- College of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences
- Faculty of Natural and Applied Science
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Faculty of Agriculture
- Faculty of Law
Notable Alumni
- Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
- Alex Otti
- Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi
- Rita Dominic
- Yul Edochie
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10) Federal University Of Technology, Akure (FUTA)
The Federal University Of Technology, Akure is an educational institution that was established in 1981 to produce graduates with practical as well as theoretical knowledge of technologies in Nigeria.
It was established alongside some other technology universities which include the Federal University of Technology Owerri(FUTO), the Federal University of Technology, Minna(FUTMINNA), the Federal University of Technology, Yola amongst others.
FUTA is also known for its strive and achievements in computing and information technology especially in the field of software engineering and computer science as graduates produced from these fields in FUTA are exceptionally good in what they do.
Faculties & Courses
The Federal University of Technology currently uses the school system of naming faculties and it currently has a total number of 8 schools. These schools are listed below.
- School of Agriculture & Agricultural Technology (SAAT)
- School of Engineering & Engineering Technology (SEET)
- School of Environmental Technology (SET)
- School of Earth & Mineral Sciences (SEMS)
- School of Management Technology (SMAT)
- School of Sciences (SOS)
- School of Health & Health Technology (SHHT)
- School of Computing (SCOM)
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Notable Mentions
- University Of Benin (UNIBEN)
- University of Abuja (UNIABUJA)
- Federal University Of Technology, Owerri (FUTO)
- University Of Calabar (UNICAL)
- Lagos State University (LASU)
This post has been about the best Nigerian universities for 2020 (NUC ranking) and it’s now over to you.
What do you think about this list of the top 10 best universities in Nigeria for 2020? Did we miss any school? Let us know via the comment section below and also feel free to share with your friends who might be needing this information via the social share buttons below.
