Gone are the days when private universities were tagged “glorified secondary schools.” We are now seeing private Universities not only taking centre stage but also setting pace in the community of schools. Covenant University, the Ota-based private Christian University in Ogun State, recently beat the likes of the University of Ibadan, FUTA, and others to emerge as the best University in Nigeria.
Recall that Covenant University gained prominence in 2018 after it got the prize for the best university in Nigeria and the sixth-best university overall.
Times Higher Education, THE, in its latest 2024 ranking of universities placed Oxford University, England as the number one in the world. While Covenant University is occupying the number one position in Nigeria. Covenant University also emerged 1st in West Africa and 7th in Sub-saharan Africa University ranking. On the global stage, the school which is just two decades old is ranked 801. Times Higher Education conducts this ranking exercise on 1,904 universities across 108 countries and regions.
They based their assessment on five performance indicators. See how they put it: “The table is based on our new WUR 3.0 methodology, which is carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across five areas; teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook.” Click here to see the full list of the 1,904 best universities in the world.
Locally, the full list of the best 39 Nigerian Universities according to THE ranking is shown below:
1. Covenant University
2. University of Ibadan
3. Federal University of Technology, Akure
4. University of Lagos
5. Bayero University, Kano
6. University of Ilorin
7. University of Nigeria
8. Afe Babalola University
9. University of Benin
10. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
11. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
12. Lagos State University
13. Nnamdi Azikiwe University
14. Obafemi Awolowo University
15. University of Port Harcourt
16. Abia State University
17. Akwa Ibom State University
18. Alex Ekwueme Federal University
19. Babcock University
20. Baze University
21. Bells University of Technology
22. Benson Idahosa University
23. Delta State University, Abraka
24. Edo State University
25. Edwin Clark University
26. Elizade University
27. Evangel University, Akaeze
28. Federal University of Kashere
29. Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun
30. Federal University of Technology, Minna
31. Federal University of Technology, Owerri
32. Fountain University
33. Landmark University
34. Nassarawa State University, Keffi
35. Niger Delta University
36. Plateau State University
37. Thomas Adewumi University
38. Veritas University
39. Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano
ABOUT COVENANT UNIVERSITY
Covenant University, CU was founded on the 21st of October, 2002, by Bishop David Oyedepo and is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Association of African Universities, and National Universities Commission. CU remains focused on raising a new generation of leaders who will impact their nation, Africa and the world.
CU has over 36 areas of studies in 23 departments of the 4 colleges in the school (Engineering, Science and Technology, Management and Social Sciences, and Leadership and Development Studies.)
CONCLUSION
There you have it; Covenant University has proven itself to be a consistent trailblazer, a beacon of hope and an educational citadel with undeniable academic excellence. It’s very true, that for nation like Nigeria, with all the academic brains that we are producing, our best University is not even amongs the first 100. But, being ranked 801 is far better than when we use to be above the best 1000 in world.
What is your take on this ranking? Comment below if your alma mata is on the list of the best 39 Universities in Nigeria based on Times Higher Education ranking. Also, tell us in the comment section, if you are surprised, that your school is not on the list.