University of Ilorin World Ranking 2026
Track the University of Ilorin’s (UNILORIN) Webometrics world ranking history from 2009 to 2026. Once ranked #1 in Nigeria and #20 in Africa, UNILORIN is now #1,201 globally in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 and Nigeria’s most sought-after university for 10 consecutive years according to JAMB.
University of Ilorin Webometrics Ranking History (2009 – 2026)
| Edition | Year | Webometrics World Rank | Nigeria Rank | Africa Rank | Impact Rank | Openness Rank | Excellence Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2009 | 2009 | — | 1 | 20 | — | — | — |
| Jul 2009 | 2009 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Jan 2010 | 2010 | — | 1 | 20 | — | — | — |
| Jan 2011 | 2011 | — | 2 | 20 | — | — | — |
| Jul 2011 | 2011 | — | 2 | 39 | — | — | — |
| Jan 2012 | 2012 | — | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 2012 | 2012 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 2018 | 2018 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jan 2019 | 2019 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 2020 | 2020 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jan 2021 | 2021 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 2021 | 2021 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jan 2022 | 2022 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 2022 | 2022 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jan 2023 | 2023 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 2023 | 2023 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jan 2024 | 2024 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 2024 | 2024 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jan 2025 | 2025 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jul 2025 | 2025 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
| Jan 2026 | 2026 | — | 17 | — | — | — | — |
The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) is a federal government-owned public research university in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, Nigeria. Its main campus spans approximately 5,000 hectares — making it the largest university in Nigeria and one of the largest in Africa by landmass. The university comprises 16 faculties and over 100 academic departments offering 103 programmes across agriculture, arts, clinical sciences, communication and information sciences, education, engineering and technology, environmental sciences, law, life sciences, management sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, and veterinary medicine. It was established by a decree of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria in August 1975, and has since grown into one of the country’s most prominent federal universities, enrolling the highest number of foreign students of any Nigerian institution.
UNILORIN’s Webometrics history is one of the most storied in Nigerian higher education: in January 2009, the university achieved the top position in Nigeria and 20th place in Africa — a landmark result driven by heavy investment in web infrastructure, digital publishing, and open-access research output. In 2010, UNILORIN again reached #1 in Nigeria and 20th in Africa. By 2011, the university retained second best in Nigeria, holding 20th and 39th positions in Africa across the January and July editions respectively. In 2012, however, the ranking showed a notable decline — to 8th in Nigeria in January and 4th in July — a pattern that prompted the university to commission an academic study into the factors driving its Webometrics performance and how to reverse the trend. From the mid-2010s onward, UNILORIN stabilised at around 17th place nationally in Webometrics — a position it has maintained consistently through the most recent editions, reflecting a steady but modest web and open-access publishing footprint relative to the overall growth in Nigerian university output.
Where UNILORIN’s global stature becomes most apparent is in research-quality rankings, which capture the depth and citation impact of its scholarly output far more fully. In October 2025, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings updated UNILORIN’s position to #1,201 globally — one of the strongest confirmed international ranking results for any Nigerian university outside the very top tier. US News & World Report’s Best Global Universities 2025 places UNILORIN at #1,180 in the world, while Scimago Institutions Rankings 2025 records a global rank of #2,664. EduRank’s 2025 composite ranking places UNILORIN 8th in Nigeria and 2,494th in the world, scoring in the top 50% across 113 research topics — the broadest disciplinary research footprint of any university in Kwara State and one of the widest among all Nigerian institutions. Subject-specific strengths span an impressive range: UNILORIN ranks 8th in Nigeria for Medicine (1,423rd world, 7,590 publications), 8th for Biology (1,537th world), 8th for Environmental Science (1,347th world), 7th for Computer Science (2,049th world), and 6th for Mathematics (1,642nd world). Perhaps most significantly, UNILORIN has been named by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as the most sought-after university in Nigeria for ten consecutive years — from 2015 through 2024 — a remarkable demand-side distinction that reflects the strength of its national academic reputation among Nigerian students and families. For prospective students, international research partners, and development funders, UNILORIN’s combination of vast campus capacity, consistently strong citation-based rankings, and unmatched national student demand makes it one of Nigeria’s most important and dynamic federal universities heading into 2026.
FAQ – University of Ilorin Ranking 2026
What is University of Ilorin’s Webometrics ranking history? UNILORIN was ranked #1 in Nigeria and #20 in Africa in both January 2009 and January 2010 — its peak Webometrics positions. By 2012, the national rank had fallen to 8th in January and 4th in July, and the university has since stabilised around 17th place in Nigeria across recent editions.
What is UNILORIN’s global ranking in 2026? UNILORIN was ranked #1,201 globally in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings update of October 2025. US News & World Report’s Best Global Universities 2025 places UNILORIN at #1,180 in the world.
Is UNILORIN the most popular university in Nigeria? Yes. UNILORIN has been named the most sought-after university in Nigeria by JAMB for ten consecutive years through 2024 — making it the most applied-to university among UTME candidates across the country year after year.
When was the University of Ilorin founded? The University of Ilorin was established by a decree of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria in August 1975, and began academic activities the following year with three faculties.
What is UNILORIN’s campus size? UNILORIN’s main campus spans approximately 15,000 hectares of land, making it the largest university in Nigeria and one of the largest in Africa by landmass.
What are UNILORIN’s strongest subject areas globally? UNILORIN ranks 8th in Nigeria for Medicine (1,423rd world), 8th for Biology (1,537th world), 8th for Environmental Science (1,347th world), 7th for Computer Science (2,049th world), and 5th for Psychology (1,643rd world).
How does UNILORIN rank in Scimago Institutions Rankings? In the Scimago Institutions Rankings 2025, UNILORIN holds a global position of #2,664.
Is University of Ilorin a public or private university? UNILORIN is a federal government-owned public research university, fully funded and accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) of Nigeria.
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