No fewer than 4,203 Nigerian academics have received training in publishing research in high-impact international journals as the country prepares to release its 2026 ranking of tertiary institutions.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee, Prof Peter Okebukola, disclosed this in Abuja, saying the training was part of efforts to improve research quality and strengthen the global competitiveness of Nigerian institutions.
He said the national league tables covering universities, polytechnics and colleges of education were expected to be released on December 15, subject to approval by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.
According to Okebukola, the ranking exercise is being conducted through a 17-step process, with the committee mandated by the Federal Ministry of Education to assess institutional performance and encourage improvements in teaching and research.
He said Nigerian institutions needed to produce research that attracted international readership and citations to improve their positions in global rankings.
The 4,203 academics participated in a free three-day masterclass held from October 15 to 17 by the Virtual Institute for Capacity Building in Higher Education, the training arm of NiTERAC.
The programme, themed “Publishing in High-Impact Journals: What Editors and Reviewers Look For”, featured facilitators from Washington State University in the United States, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Participants received practical training in manuscript assessment, journal selection and responding to reviewers’ comments. They were also introduced to the Okebukola 12-C Test, an assessment tool designed to help researchers evaluate manuscripts before submission.
Yaba College of Technology recorded the highest participation, with 65 scholars, followed by Lagos State University with 43 and Obafemi Awolowo University with 41.
The National Open University of Nigeria and Ladoke Akintola University of Technology recorded pass rates of 97 and 95 per cent, respectively.
Okebukola said the ranking exercise was intended to stimulate improvements across the tertiary education sector rather than simply place institutions on a league table.
He added that another free masterclass would be held in mid-November to train academics on improving the visibility, readership and citation of their research.
The 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings increased Nigeria’s representation from 24 universities in 2026 to 29 in 2027, while another 32 Nigerian institutions featured in the Reporter category.
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