Things are looking up academically speaking, for the two Lagos-based leading public universities – Lagos State University (LASU) and the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
This is because, the two have emerged tops in a telling latest statistical ranking just displayed at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)-organised policy meeting holding in Abuja.
In the latest rankings, the Lagos State University emerged as the most preferred university among candidates seeking admission through the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Figures displayed during the meeting showed that LASU recorded 84,426 first-choice applications, representing 3.76 per cent of the total applications submitted nationwide.
It was followed by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) which is preferred by 78,240 admission seekers going by the number of applications it received, while Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) came third with 60,370 applications.
Nigeria’s premier university, the University of Ibadan placed fourth with 58,895 applications, while the University of Benin, has 55,425 applications.
Nnamdi Azikiwe University came sixth with 54,085 applications, while the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), University of Nigeria, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), and University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) complete the top 10.
The full list of ranked universities:
- Lagos State University — 84,426
- University of Lagos — 78,240
- Obafemi Awolowo University — 60,370
- University of Ibadan — 58,895
- University of Benin — 55,425
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University — 54,085
- University of Ilorin — 52,514
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka — 51,660
- Federal University Oye-Ekiti — 48,272
- University of Port Harcourt — 48,199
The Eagle reports the LASU administration stating in 2024 that it has secured accreditation for all the forty-four (44) courses it submitted for the National Universities Commission accreditation exercise held between October and November, 2023.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, mni, NPOM made the information known when she received results of the accreditation exercise via a letter from the NUC dated 6th June 2024 signed by Engr Abraham Chundusu for the Executive Secretary.
The result showed that *43 of the 44 courses assessed secured full* accreditation with only one course – Computer Science Education, getting interim accreditation.
Also last November LASU’s Deputy Registrar and Coordinator, Centre for Information and Public Relations, LASU, Mrs Oluwayemisi Thomas-Onashile said that the National Universities Commission has approved four new full-time undergraduate programmes for the Lagos State University within its Faculty of Computing and Information Technology.
“The approval was conveyed in a letter dated Nov. 3, and signed by the Acting Director of Academic Planning, Mr Abubakar Girei, on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the NUC.
“The four programmes were approved, effective from the 2025-2026 academic session”, she said in a statement.
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