
AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY GRADED AMONG WORLD’S BEST 100 UNIVERSITIES
…Rated Number 84 in the world,
Number 3 in Africa and Number 1 in Africa in SDG 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy) with a score of 83.3%
The Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti has been rated among the best 100 Universities in the world.
The rating which was announced by Times Higher Education Impact in its latest rankings has attracted commendations on the founder, Aare Afe Babalola and his team for prioritising efficient service delivery.
Addressing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on the development, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Supo Ijabadeniyi said the development was as a result of total commitment by the entire team.
In his words, “I stand before you to announce with immense joy and with a deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty God, the Maker of All Things, that this 15-year-old Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, which commenced Academic works on its permanent site on Monday, January 4, 2010, has been ranked among the first 100 universities in the world”.
“As a matter of fact, the young but progressive university has now been ranked by the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings as follows:
No. 84 in the world
No. 3 in Africa,
No. 1 in Africa in SDG 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy) with a score of 83.3%
No. 1 in Africa in SDG 13 (Climate Change) with a score of 83.1%
No. 2 in Africa in SDG 1 (No Poverty) with a score of 87.9%
No. 3 in Africa in SDG 17 (Partnership for Goals) with a score of 92.4%
No. 1 in Nigeria for four consecutive years: 2022, 2023, 2024 and now 2025
No. 1 in Nigeria in SDG 1 (No Poverty) with a score of 87.9%
No. 1 in Nigeria in SDG 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy) with a score of 83.3%
No. 1 in Nigeria in SDG 13 (Climate Change) with a score of 83.1%
No. 1 in Nigeria in SDG 17 (Partnership for Goals) with a score of 92.4%”.
“The above outstanding achievements by the university did not just come from the blues. What and where we are today is the result of the resilience, hard work and Frankenstein leadership by our Founder & Chancellor, the tireless efforts of our Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, and her Management Team, the commitment and dedication of our staff, Academic and Non-Academic alike as well as the cultured and ever-obedient students”.
“Indeed, we would not have been where we are today without some uncommon things the university has deliberately put in place which have now stood it as a clear leader among its peers, including those that are several decades older than it”.
“The followings are just a few of the propellers of our success story:
The only fully residential university in Nigeria today
The first university in Nigeria to commence Academic works on its permanent site”.
“The university has students from all the 36 states of the Federation, including the FCT.
It also has students from some foreign countries.
It has a well-planned landscape which enable seamless movement of students from the College areas to their Hostels and facility areas”.
“Well-equipped modern Laboratories and Workshops as a result of which the Nigerian Society of Engineers acknowledged our College of Engineering as the “Template for Engineering Education in Nigeria”.
“Full Accreditation by NUC and Professional Bodies in all 44 programmes including programmes in Engineering, Law, Medicine and Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Sciences as well as Social & Management Sciences.
ABUAD has the most advanced Computational Platform for Drugs Design & Research in Nigeria”.
“It is mandatory for ABUAD students to obtain additional Professional Certification in Banking, Accounting, ICT, Marketing, ICAN, Computer Science, Engineering, Nursing Science, Medical Laboratory Science and Arbitration while pursuing their Undergraduate Degrees”.
“It is mandatory for ABUAD students to have Certificate of Proficiency in one modern foreign language (Chinese or French) with scholarship to study in China”.
“The Institute of Government Research and Leadership Technology awarded ABUAD the Best Law Faculty Award in 2012.
Compulsory Evening classes for students between 7-9 p.m”.
“Dress Code for both students and staff (This is being emulated by other institutions of Higher Education in the country)
Regular and uninterrupted power supply from the university’s Independent Power Plant (IPP) which was commissioned on June 21, 2021”.
“A University Dam which ensures regular supply of water.
Predictable and stable Academic calendar which enables students to graduate on time”.
“A functional Planetarium where all fresh students engage in Space Studies compulsorily without paying any fee.
On account of the quality of education we offer in ABUAD, many of our students are offered direct admission to pursue their Ph. D Degrees without going through Master’s Programme”.
“Modern Sports Centre with Olympic-size Swimming Pool.
Scholarships for outstanding and indigent students.
Modern Research Institutes.
Annual Awards to outstanding Researchers”.
“To encourage Nigerian youths to return to the farm, the University has reduced the School Fees for students Studying Agriculture by 50%. In addition, it gives a seed money of N250,000 to every graduate in Agriculture from University to start his own business upon graduation.
Youth Empowerment Scheme under which the university has trained over 1000 youths and expended N186 million, while it has doled out the sum of N49, 103,875 to people under the Entrepreneurship Scheme”.
“A 124-unit Industrial Research Park designed to harmonize University Education with Industry, provide quality and functional education, provide opportunity for hi-tech scientists, innovators, inventors, geniuses, research, community service, stimulate economic development and provide employment for university graduates, professionals and artisans”.
“The ultra-modern 400-bed ABUAD Multi-System Hospital which leading healthcare stakeholders have acknowledged as the “most well-equipped hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa”, and
A comfortable and safe Five-star ABUAD INN within the precinct of the university”.
Prof. Ijabadeniyi used the medium to call on the Federal and State governments to reconstruct Ado-Ijan road to ensure smooth transportation, noting that the founder of the university, Aare Afe Babalola had always played significant roles in making the road motorable.
“The role played by Aare Afe Babalola in the maintenance of the stretch of Ado-Ijan Road from St. Paul’s Church to this university between 2009 and 2019 is in the public domain”.
“The same goes for the Ado-Ekiti Cargo Airport where he has invested billions of Naira to make it functional.
The maintenance of Ado-Ijan Road and the functionality of the Ado-Ekiti Cargo Airport is certainly beyond his capacity bearing in mind the quantum of projects he has embarked upon in the overall interest of the state”.
“Because of this, the time has come for both the Federal and Ekiti State Governments to see to the immediate re-construction of the Ado-Ijan Road and the completion of the Ado-Ekiti Cargo Airport”.
“If the university is more accessible, it will attract patronage from both local and international audience as a result of which it would win more laurels for the state and the nation at large”, the Vice Chancellor stressed.