Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) has attained the top position among Nigerian institutions in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Rankings. It remains the only university in the country to rank within the top 100 globally.
Released this Wednesday, the report positions ABUAD 72nd out of 1,646 universities across 116 countries. The institution achieved an overall score of 90.8, showing notable success in areas like Climate Action, No Poverty, and Affordable and Clean Energy. This result establishes ABUAD as the second-highest ranked university in Africa, trailing only the University of Johannesburg.
Other Nigerian universities followed with lower rankings, including Covenant University and Redeemer’s University in the 201–300 band, and the University of Lagos in the 601–800 group. A wide range of other local institutions, such as the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Obafemi Awolowo University, fell into the 1001–1500 category.
Globally, the University of Manchester maintains its lead as the top institution for sustainability. The THE rankings evaluate how universities support the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through research, teaching, and environmental governance.
