Nigeria Mandates Tertiary Education Ranking for Institutions

Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, declared that participation in Nigeria's national tertiary education ranking exercise will be compulsory for all universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. This announcement was made during a meeting in Abuja with the Nigerian Universities Ranking Advisory Committee, which has been expanded and renamed the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee.

This initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu's education reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda and is being implemented through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI). The ranking aims to improve quality, accountability, and institutional performance while enhancing the global competitiveness of Nigeria's tertiary education system.

The 2026/2027 ranking for universities will commence in September, with the committee to determine the timeline for polytechnics and colleges. Funding will be provided by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and guidelines will be developed to institutionalize the ranking process.

Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad supported the initiative, emphasizing its role in improving accountability and quality across the sector.