The University of Ilorin has recorded another remarkable milestone in global higher education rankings as it emerged as Nigeria’s number one University in Aquatic Science in the 2026 SCImago Institutions Rankings while also securing fifth position among the seven Nigerian universities featured in the 2026–2027 U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings.
The impressive performances highlight the University’s sustained excellence in research, innovation, quality publications and international visibility, with both globally recognised ranking organisations acknowledging the increasing influence of the University in scholarship, citation impact and academic development.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, said the latest achievements reflect the collective efforts of the University staff, students, alumni and partners, noting that the rankings further strengthen the institution’s resolve to realise its Vision 1:10:500 agenda of becoming one of the world’s leading universities.
Prof. Egbewole also urged the Project Manager to intensify efforts towards the successful execution of the project, stressing the need for commitment, diligence and adherence to timelines to ensure that the initiative achieves its set objectives and delivers maximum benefits to the University community.
The achievements were disclosed during a meeting of the University Ranking Implementation Steering Committee by the Project Manager, Ranking, Prof. Sulaiman Funsho Ambali, last Monday (June 29, 2026) where an analysis of the latest global rankings was presented to the University Management as part of the institution’s agenda aimed at positioning UNILORIN among the world’s leading universities.
According to the SCImago Institutions Rankings 2026, the University emerged 1st in Nigeria and 18th in Africa in Aquatic Science, further consolidating its leadership in the discipline through impactful research, innovation and the production of highly skilled manpower.
The ranking also places the University’s Research Pillar at the 58th percentile globally, recognising the quality of its research output, scholarly publications and growing international research impact.
Beyond Aquatic Science, UNILORIN recorded outstanding performances across several disciplines, ranking 2nd in Nigeria and 10th in Africa in Surgery, 3rd nationally and 10th in Africa in Library and Information Science, 3rd in Nigeria and 36th in Africa in Veterinary Medicine, 3rd in Nigeria and 41st in Africa in Mathematics, and 2nd nationally and 37th in Africa in Animal Science and Zoology.
Similarly, the 2026–2027 U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings placed the better by far University as the fifth-ranked Nigerian university.
The U.S. News report identified the University’s strong citation impact as one of its greatest strengths, describing it as compelling evidence of the quality, relevance and global influence of researches produced by UNILORIN scholars.
The analysis further showed that the University’s steady rise in international rankings reflects the success of deliberate institutional policies promoting quality research, innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration and global academic engagement.
While acknowledging the University’s impressive performance, the Project Manager identified opportunities for further growth through increased publication in high-impact journals, stronger international research collaborations, expanded Open Access publishing and sustained investment in research visibility and journal quality.