International Journal of Academic Research in Education and Review

Vol. 13(1), pp. 26-35, May 2025

ISSN: 2360-7866

https://doi.org/10.14662/ijarer2025110

 

Full Length Research

 

 

Positioning Nigerian Universities for Global Visibility in the 21st Century: Strategies & Recommendations

 

Dr. Olubiyo Peter Olubunmi

 

University Library, Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo, Ondo State, Nigeria. E-mail: olubiyopeter@gmail.com

Corresponding author’s E-mail: olubiyopeter@gmail.com Tel.+2348166392038  

Accepted 15 May 2025

Abstract

Abstract: Nigerian higher education institutions, although representing one of the largest and most diversified higher education systems in Africa (out of 260 institutions, there are more than 2.2 million students in higher education) are severely under-represented in the international university rankings systems, global research citation networks, international research collaboration databases, and international academic discourse. Not a single Nigerian institution was ranked among the 1,000 best in the world in the January 2025 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, the largest global ranking by institution count, evaluating over 33,649 universities in 244 countries on three dimensions: Visibility (50%), Transparency (10%), and Excellence (40%). In January 2023, the long-established highest-ranked university in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan, held the number 1 position in the world ranking, and is not ranked among the top 1,000 in later editions. This ranking indicates profound systemic shortcomings in the volume and impact of research output, the development of open-access publications and institutional repositories, the development of digital infrastructure and web presence, and the quality of staff and retention of academics in Nigerian universities all of which limit the international acknowledgment of the intellectual potential of which the universities should have. This paper undertakes a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis of the multidimensional challenge of positioning Nigerian universities for global visibility. It examines the current global ranking landscape and Nigeria's position within it; analyses the Webometrics, QS, and THE ranking methodologies and their implications for Nigerian strategy; evaluates Nigeria's performance across five strategic dimensions, teaching and learning, research and development, AI integration, academic staff development, and international scholarly collaboration; critically assesses the challenges constraining visibility improvement; and proposes a comprehensive strategic framework for transformative visibility enhancement. The paper draws on Webometrics (2023, 2025) data, QS World Rankings methodology, THE methodology, NUC and NBS statistics, TETFund funding data, SGCI research ecosystem analysis, institutional repository data from DOAR, brain drain research, and international university ranking improvement models including China's 'Double First Class' initiative and South Korea's Brain Korea 21 programme. Recommendations are directed at the Federal Government, NUC, TETFund, university management, academic libraries, and individual academics.

 

Key Words: Global Visibility, Nigerian Universities, University Rankings, Webometrics, QS, THE, Research Output, Scopus, Open Access, Institutional Repository, Brain Drain, International Collaboration, TETFund, NUC, AI.

Paper type: research