ABUAD Aims for Top 50 Global University Ranking by 2026

Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) has announced its ambition to rank among the world's top 50 universities by 2026, while maintaining its position as Nigeria's leading university for the fifth consecutive year. According to the latest Times Higher Education Impact Rankings released on June 24, 2026, ABUAD is ranked 72nd globally and second in Africa among 1,646 universities from 116 countries.

Vice Chancellor Professor Smaranda Olarinde made this announcement during a press conference held in the university's Senate Chamber. She noted that ABUAD's latest ranking represents a significant improvement from its previous global position of 84th in 2025, marking a leap of 12 places within a year.

The university's overall score was 90.8% on the Sustainable Development Goals performance index. Aare Afe Babalola, the founder and Chancellor of ABUAD, expressed gratitude to the university community for their dedication and emphasized the institution's commitment to quality education and research.