FG Mandates National Tertiary Education Ranking in Nigeria

On September 1, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced that participation in the national tertiary education ranking exercise is now compulsory for all universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. This decision was made by Education Minister Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa during a meeting in Abuja with the Nigerian Universities Ranking Advisory Committee, which has been renamed the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee to reflect the inclusion of all major tertiary institutions.

This initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s education reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, implemented through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI). The ranking exercise aims to measure institutional performance, identify weaknesses, and foster competition among institutions.

The 2026/2027 ranking for universities will begin in September, with timelines for polytechnics and colleges to be determined by the advisory committee. Funding will be provided by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and the Ministry of Education will communicate the compulsory nature of the exercise to all relevant institutions.