ABUAD Reigns Supreme: Tops Nigeria in Global Impact Rankings for Four Consecutive Years

Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) has once again etched its name in gold, emerging as Nigeria’s top-ranked university for the fourth consecutive year, according to the prestigious Times Higher Education Impact Rankings (THEIR) 2025.

The latest global rankings, released at midnight on June 18, 2025, evaluated the contributions of 2,526 qualified universities across 130 countries toward the actualization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ABUAD stood tall among its peers, reaffirming its place as a trailblazer in Africa’s higher education landscape.

Reacting to the news, the visibly elated Vice‑Chancellor, Prof. E. Smaranda Olarinde, FCArb, FCAI, expressed profound gratitude to God and to the institution’s visionary Founder and Chancellor, Aare Afe Emmanuel Babalola, OFR, CON, SAN, noting that so much more could be achieved when excellence is the goal.

She also acknowledged the invaluable scholarly and expert contributions of Deputy Vice‑Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Prof. Damilola Olawuyi, and ABUAD’s Director of the Directorate of Information Technology, Prof. Bayo Ogundipe, together with the university’s teaching and non‑teaching staff.

“Your efforts in achieving this recent accomplishment are truly priceless, unparalleled, and highly commendable. No one could have done this alone. This is another outstanding testament to our shared vision and joint effort.

Thank you for the trust, the encouragement, and to all those who believe in our revered Founder, in ABUAD, and in its leadership. This is yet another call to keep the torch of excellence burning for society, humanity, and our country,” she added.

According to the 2025 rankings, ABUAD achieved an impressive overall score of 90.2%, placing the university 84th globally out of the 2,318 institutions assessed. The university also distinguished itself in four key SDGs, namely: SDG 1: No Poverty (87.9%); SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy (83.3%); SDG 13: Climate Action (83.1%) and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals (92.4%).

This remarkable achievement not only reaffirms ABUAD’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and global relevance but also sees the institution rise 58 places from its 142nd global position in 2024.

“Congratulations to us as ABUAD remains number one (1) in Nigeria. Number three (3) in Africa and number 84 in the world. Our institution is one of the only three African universities to attain this feat, alongside the University of Johannesburg and the University of Pretoria, both in South Africa” expressed the joyful Vice-Chancellor.

ABUAD’s sustained top-tier performance in the THE Impact Rankings underscores its deep institutional commitment to not only academic excellence but also to driving tangible, positive change aligned with the world’s most pressing sustainable development priorities.