In the latest 2026 QS World University Rankings, not a single Nigerian university made it into the top 1,000, for the third year in a row. Out of Nigeria’s 297 universities, only three were ranked, and they appeared far down the global list. This continues to raise questions about the place of African universities in the global academic conversation.
The QS ranking is based on eight criteria, including academic reputation, employer reputation, research output, international presence, and sustainability. However, critics argue that these standards, although seemingly objective, tend to favour older, wealthier universities in the US, UK, and parts of Europe and Asia, such as MIT, Imperial College London, and Stanford University, which took the top spots this year.
Professor Farooq Kperogi, a Nigerian academic and professor of communication at Kennesaw State University in the United States, says these rankings are deeply flawed and biased. “They are more about brand and visibility than actual learning and academic value,” he said. He believes many good African institutions are excluded because they do not have the same international exposure or PR resources.
Kperogi also blasted the British government’s decision to use these rankings to deny African graduates access to a skilled visa programme. “You cannot ignore a continent full of bright, capable people just because their schools are not on a list made by others,” he said.
While he agrees that Nigerian universities need improvement, he insists that we should focus on real reforms — such as funding through special taxes and need-based scholarships — instead of chasing global validation. “Fixing education begins with fixing leadership,” he added.
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