With five consecutive years at the top, the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti(ABUAD) has moved from being a rising star to Nigeria’s benchmark university for sustainability impact, putting pressure on other institutions to match its pace ahead of the 2027 rankings.
ABUAD emerged as Nigeria’s number one university for the fifth consecutive year in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Rankings and secured the second position in Africa and ranked 72nd globally, reinforcing its growing international profile in sustainable development, academic excellence, research and innovation.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, announced the achievement on Tuesday while briefing journalists at the university campus in Ado-Ekiti.
The VC described the rare feat as a testament to ABUAD’s unwavering commitment to delivering quality education, impactful research, innovation and sustainable development initiatives that continue to earn the institution global recognition.
The Vice Chancellor attributed the outstanding performance to the visionary leadership of the Founder and Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, the dedication of staff, the resilience of students and the support of stakeholders.
The VC reaffirmed the university’s resolve to sustain its leadership position in Nigeria and Africa by continuously promoting excellence, innovation and sustainable practices in all aspects of its operations.
The VC recalled that the university entered the rankings in 2022 as Nigeria’s highest-ranked institution, placing within the 301–400 global band, before advancing to the 201–300 band in 2023 while retaining its position as the country’s best university.
She explained that the institution consolidated its leadership in 2024 by emerging fourth in Africa and 142nd globally out of 2,152 ranked universities before climbing to third in Africa and 84th in the world in 2025.
Olarinde attributed the university’s sustained success to visionary leadership, strategic planning, institutional discipline and the unwavering support of its Founder and Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola alongside the commitment of staff, students, parents and development partners.
The Vice Chancellor said the institution’s achievements were driven by full accreditation of all academic programmes by the National Universities Commission and relevant professional bodies, over 70 local and international institutional partnerships, world-class laboratories and research facilities, as well as Nigeria’s most advanced computational platform for drug design and research.
She continues, “I stand before you today with profound gratitude to Almighty God and with deepest appreciation to our Founder to announce that Afe Babalola University has now been ranked: Number One University in Nigeria for five consecutive years (2022-2026);Second in Africa; and 72nd globally in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings, out of 1,646 participating universities across 116 countries.
“Also worthy of mention is our overall enviable score of 90.8% in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) performance index.
“This remarkable achievement represents a significant leap of 12 global places, from our 84th position in 2025 to 72nd in 2026, reflecting our steady upward trajectory and unwavering commitment to quality education, research, innovation, partnerships, global impact and sustainability.
“Our institutional journey bears eloquent testimony to the fact that these remarkable milestones have been achieved, first and foremost, by the grace of God and through the confidence reposed in us by our revered Founder and Chancellor to serve. This is an extraordinary privilege, for ABUAD’s leadership, staff and students, for which we remain profoundly humbled, deeply loyal, and eternally grateful.
“Permit me to state here that these accomplishments did not happen by accident. They are products of visionary leadership, strategic planning, institutional discipline, resilient governance, staff commitment, the steadfast support of our students, parents, partners, and stakeholders.
“Here are the main key pillars driving our success story, with some already captured: Full accreditation of all programmes by the NUC and relevant professional bodies; Over 70 institutional partnerships within and outside Nigeria; State-of-the-art laboratories, workshops and research facilities; The most advanced computational platform for drug design and research in Nigeria; Mandatory professional certifications for students alongside their degree programmes.
“Mandatory proficiency training in foreign languages such as Chinese and French. And compulsory training in indigenous languages (Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa); Stable academic calendar and uninterrupted power supply through our Independent Power Plant and Solar System; A functional Planetarium for compulsory Space Studies; Extensive scholarship programmes for indigent and outstanding students; The Founder’s continued prioritisation of staff and students’ welfare, including the upward review of salaries and allowances across all staff cadres. This is in addition to uninterrupted regular salary payment since inception.
“A 124-unit Industrial Research Park designed to integrate education with industry that produces organic food such as; Poundo Yam, Fufu, Garri, Ogi Rice and Cashew Products; Youth empowerment and Entrepreneurship schemes benefiting over 1,000 youths; The ultra-modern 400-bed ABUAD Multi-System Hospital, which has recently recorded over 50 successful kidney transplant procedures; To ensure comfort and security, our Founder’s Inn, described as a second-to-none palatial suite, has been added to complement the carrying capacity of our five-star Guest Inn.
“In addition, our commitment to agriculture and food security remains unwavering. To encourage young Nigerians to embrace agriculture, the university offers a 50% tuition reduction for Agriculture students, and provides seed funding and equipment to graduates to establish agribusiness ventures”.