Covenant University has taken the number-one spot in Africa in the newly released 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, marking one of the strongest performances by any African institution in recent years.
The university also placed first in Nigeria and an impressive 49th in the world, making it the only African university to break into the global top 50.
The ranking, published on THE’s website on Thursday, evaluates how universities contribute to and support interdisciplinary science, a field that brings together ideas, methods, and problem-solving approaches from different academic disciplines.
This could involve combining engineering with social sciences, or blending medical sciences with law, economics, education, or psychology to solve real-world problems in a more holistic way.
Interdisciplinary work is increasingly important globally because many modern challenges, climate change, public health, digital security, and sustainable development cannot be solved through single-discipline research.
By placing Covenant University at the top in Africa, THE highlights the institution’s growing strength in producing research that crosses traditional academic boundaries.
The 2026 edition of the rankings assessed 911 universities across 94 countries, using 11 performance metrics.
These metrics covered areas such as research funding, quality of scientific output, success and impact of projects, administrative and facility support, and global reputation.
Out of all African universities assessed, Covenant University emerged as the leading institution, followed closely by Cairo University in Egypt, which ranked 69th globally.
In Nigeria, 30 universities submitted data for consideration, but only 18 met the requirements to appear on the ranked list.
Results show that Covenant University set the pace for others in the country, with a strong gap between it and the next institutions on the list. The University of Nigeria, Nsukka ranked second nationally at 161 globally, followed by Landmark University in the 201–250 bracket. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology and the University of Ilorin were both placed in the 251–300 range.
Other Nigerian universities that ranked included the University of Lagos, the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Obafemi Awolowo University, the Federal University of Technology Owerri, and Ahmadu Bello University.
Several private and state-owned universities also appeared in lower bands, reflecting a broad national representation across different regions.
Some institutions were listed as “Reporters,” meaning they submitted data but did not meet the threshold for ranking. These include Babcock University, Redeemer’s University, Lead City University, and Nasarawa State University, among others.
Covenant University’s rise in the rankings reinforces its growing reputation as one of Africa’s most innovative and research-driven institutions. I
ts inclusion in the global top 50 is not only a milestone for the university but also a significant moment for Nigerian higher education, showing that institutions on the continent can compete strongly on the world stage when investment, research culture, and strategic focus align.