At least, 51 Nigerian Universities led by Covenant University, Ota, have made impressive outing in the first Times Higher Education 2023 Sub-Saharan Africa rankings.
At a colourful unveiling event in Accra on June 26, Times
Higher Education announced the results of its 2023 Sub-Saharan university
rankings.
The event was attended by a delegation from Nigeria led by
Professor Peter Okebukola, Chairman of the Nigerian Universities Ranking
Advisory Committee.
According to a statement by the National Universities
Commission, on Wednesday, Okebukola led the Nigerian delegation.
“Covenant University emerged in the 7th position in
Sub-Saharan Africa and the No. 1 in Nigeria, he said.
“Other universities that appeared on the elite list and
their ranks are Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (26th) Benson
Idahosa University (30th), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (31st ), Redeemer’s
University (35), University of Ibadan (36), CRUTECH (37th), OAU, Ife (39th)
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (43rd ), Adeleke University (45th), and Ahmadu
Bello University (46th ).
“Others are: the University of Benin (47th), Landmark
University(49th), Babcock University (50th), Ajayi Crowther University
(51-60th), the Bells University of Technology (51-60th ), Federal University
Kashere (51-60th ), Federal University Lokoja (51-60th ), Gombe State
University (51-60th ), Lagos State University (51-60th ), the University of
Port Harcourt (51-60th ), Baze University (51-60th ), Delta State University
(61-70th ), Elizade University (61-70th ), Niger Delta University (61-70th ),
Abia State University (71+), Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike
(71+), Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Ikere (71+), Bauch State
University (71+), Bayero University (71+), Edo State University (71+), LAUTECH
(71+), Lead City University (71+), NOUN (71+), Glorious Vision University
(formerly Samuel Adegboyega University (71+), Veritas University (71+), and
Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano (71+).
According to the former Executive Secretary of the National
Universities Commission, “the methodology of the sub-Saharan African rankings
is on “five pillars- resources and finance (20%); access and fairness (20%);
teaching skills (20%); student engagement (20%) and Africa impact (20%)”.
He noted that on all measures, Nigerian universities did
impressively well, with much room for improvement.
Okebukola was the immediate past Chairman Governing Board of
the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN noted that “since this is the
first edition of the sub-Saharan university rankings, by the next and
subsequent editions, Nigerian universities will leap to the lead.
“We will continue to improve on the metrics through better
quality teaching, especially with the incoming Core Curriculum and Minimum
Academic Standards research and provision of better services for our students.”
Okebukola further noted that during the unveiling ceremony
and the Sub-Saharan University Forum which preceded it on “Revolutionising
African Higher Education”, Duncan Ross, Chief Data Officer of Times Higher
Education, lauded Nigerian universities on progress made in the last two years
on global and regional league tables.
According to Ross, of the 121 universities that contributed
data, Nigerian universities make up the “largest proportion (42%) followed by
South Africa (12%) and Ghana (7%) Professor Okebukola explained this as the
impact of the revolution towards improving quality of delivery of university
education in Nigeria, initiated by Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, Executive
Secretary NUC and supported by the immediate-past Minister of Education, Adamu
Adamu”.