Osun State University has made its debut in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, placing ahead of several older Nigerian universities, including Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Benin and Lagos State University.
UNIOSUN was placed in the 1,201–1,400 band in the 2027 global rankings released on Wednesday, making it the highest-placed state-owned university in Nigeria in the latest edition.
The university shares the band with Babcock University and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
OAU and UNIBEN are in the 1,401–1,600 band, while LASU is placed in the 1,801–2,000 band.
The development marks the first time UNIOSUN has appeared in the global rankings and comes as the institution continues to expand its academic programmes, research activities and infrastructure.
Among the Nigerian universities ranked globally, Covenant University, the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos occupy the highest position, all in the 801–1,000 band.
Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, Landmark University and the University of Ilorin follow in the 1,001–1,200 band.
UNIOSUN’s entry into the 1,201–1,400 band puts it alongside Babcock and UNN, while several universities with longer histories appear below it.
UNIOSUN’s research strength
The university’s ranking performance was driven particularly by its research-related scores.
UNIOSUN recorded 43.8 in Research Quality, its strongest score among the five broad areas measured in the ranking.
It scored 40.3 in International Outlook, 25.6 in Research Environment and 23.6 in Teaching.
Its lowest score was 17.6 in Industry Income and Patents.
Its overall score falls within the 30.5–33.2 range.
Interestingly, UNIOSUN’s Research Quality score of 43.8 was higher than Babcock University’s 36.2 and slightly higher than the University of Nigeria, Nsukka’s 42.9, although all three universities were placed in the same 1,201–1,400 band.
The rankings assess universities using indicators covering teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry engagement.
Coming amid university expansion
UNIOSUN’s global debut comes at a time the institution is recording significant developments across its campuses.
At its 16th convocation earlier this month, the university graduated 4,357 students, including its first-ever set of 90 medical doctors.
The institution has also completed several major projects, including a FIFA-standard sports complex, a three-in-one science laboratory building and new lecture theatres.
UNIOSUN has equally expanded its academic offerings, introducing programmes such as Cyber Security, Software Engineering, International Relations and Diplomacy, among others.
The Osun State Government has also increased its interventions at the university in recent years.
Among the projects are a 57-office complex at the College of Health Sciences, a 350-capacity student hostel and a medical research access road.
Government interventions have also supported the university’s medical programme as it worked towards meeting accreditation requirements ahead of the graduation of its first medical doctors.
The administration has also restored student bursaries, implemented the 2025 FGN-Staff Union Agreement and reconstituted the university’s Governing Council.
While the developments have expanded the university’s capacity, the global ranking itself is based on measured academic and research indicators rather than simply the number of projects completed.
Nigeria records more ranked universities
Nigeria has 29 universities in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, compared with 24 in the previous edition.
The increase makes Nigeria the country with the highest number of ranked universities in sub-Saharan Africa.
UNIOSUN is among the Nigerian institutions appearing in the rankings for the first time.
For the university, the debut represents a new milestone in its development and places its research and academic performance on an international comparison table.
The ranking also gives the institution a benchmark as it continues to expand its programmes, research capacity and international partnerships.
With UNIOSUN now sitting in the 1,201–1,400 global band, the institution has entered a ranking table that includes some of Nigeria’s oldest and most established universities — and its first appearance has come ahead of OAU, UNIBEN and LASU.
