- As ABUAD tops list of private-owned universities.
Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) has been ranked as the best of Nigeria’s 75 private universities.
In the July ranking of world universities, the latest by leading researcher Webometrics based in Spain, ABUAD is also ranked number 2 Best University among all Federal, state and private universities and polytechnics numbering about 278.
In the public university sector, the University of Ibadan, Oyo State has also adjudged the best Nigerian university in the July Webometric ranking of world universities.
The 70-year old Nigerian premier university emerged the best among 100 Nigerian tertiary institutions but was rated 905 in the world.
The institutions were rated based on their presence, impact, openness and excellence.
Coming close to ABUAD is Covenant University, Ota as the private-run varsity and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
In a statement on Sunday, Tunde Olofintila of ABUAD said the institution was founded by a renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Aare Afe Babalola, to tackle the decay in Nigeria ’s national education.
ABUAD was registered in November 2009 by renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and educationist, who as the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos from 2001 to 2007 successfully reformed the university which was ranked No. 1 University in Nigeria in. He was also awarded the Best Pro-Chancellor award by the National University Commission (NUC).
His decision to establish ABUAD was borne out of his personal experience garnered from the decay in the education system.
The varsity was founded to be a practical example of how problems militating against the growth of varsities can be solved and lead others in quality and functional education.
In its eight years of existence, ABUA is reputed as the fastest growing university in Africa.
Its College of Law was acknowledged as the Best College of Law in West Africa by the NUC and its College of Engineering was described by the Nigeria Society of Engineering (NSE) as the Template for Engineering Education in the country.
The College has won global awards in London and United States of America (USA).
ABUA recently inaugurated an ultra-modern teaching hospital with latest teaching equipment. Health Minister Prof Isaac Adewole described the facility as the best of its kind in this part of the world which would put an end to medical tourism in the country.
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile -Ife was rated fifth best Nigerian varsity and 3, 545 in the world, ahead of the University of Port Harcourt; and Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
University of Lagos, Akoka, appeared in the eighth position among Nigerian higher institutions and ranked 5, 025 in the world.
Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, completed the list of the first 10 universities in the country.