The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Development, Bayero University Kano (BUK), Prof. Amina Mustapha, has attributed the institution’s improved position in the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings to sustained efforts in research, teaching and scholarly publications.
Mustapha said the university had worked over the years to strengthen its academic environment and improve the visibility of research produced by its scholars.
She disclosed this in an interview with SolaceBase shortly after a capacity-building workshop for journalists and media practitioners on the use of Earth Observation tools for climate change and disaster reporting, held at the Centre for Dryland Agriculture, BUK.
“Bayero University has been participating in the Times Higher Education ranking for a number of years now. A few years ago, we were actually at number three, and then we came back to number five.
“And then, in the 2026 ranking, we are now back to our position of number three,” she said.
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Mustapha explained that the ranking considers several performance indicators, including the research environment, publications and institutional reputation.
According to her, BUK’s sustained focus on improving its teaching environment and scholarly publications contributed to the university’s increased visibility and ranking performance.
“Over the years, Bayero University has worked very hard to improve its teaching environment and, of course, publications,” she said.
The DVC also pointed to the global recognition of BUK researchers as another factor strengthening the university’s academic visibility.
“I can tell you that in 2025 also, two staff members of Bayero University were listed among the two per cent most cited scientists in the world.
“So, these are part of the things that actually improve the visibility of Bayero University, and that is why our position has moved from number five to number three in the 2026 ranking,” Mustapha added.
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SolaceBase reports that BUK was ranked joint third in Nigeria in the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings and placed within the 1001–1200 band globally.
The university shared the third national position with Covenant University and Landmark University, while the University of Ibadan and University of Lagos occupied joint first place in the country.
The 2026 ranking assessed 2,191 universities globally using performance indicators across five major areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook.
According to data published by Times Higher Education, BUK recorded an international outlook score of 49.6, the highest among the Nigerian universities listed in the 2026 ranking.
The performance further highlights the university’s growing international visibility, which BUK authorities have linked to research, academic output and expanding institutional collaborations.
