By Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) which had been previously ranked among world universities as No. 1 in Nigeria for four consecutive years, for 2022, 2023, 2024 and now 2025 has emerged as one of the World best 100 universities
The Acting Vice – Chancellor of the university, Prof. Olasupo Ijabadeniyi who made this known at a press conference in Ado-Ekiti over the weekend, disclosed that the development was announced by the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, in it’s 2025 reports.
Ijabadeniyi pointed out that this outstanding heights were made possible as a result of the resilience, hard work and Frankenstein leadership of renown legal icon and elder statesman, who doubles as the founder and Chancellor of the Institution, Afe Babalola SAN.
The VC also attributed the feat to the tireless efforts of the Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, as well as commitment and cooperative attitude of both staff and students.
He revealed further that the University which was just 15 year old and commenced academic works at it’s permanent site only on on January 4, 2010, now by the latest ranking become the 84th in the entire world, and the 3rd in African continent is the only fully residential university in Nigeria today, as non of it’s several thousands student lives off-campus.
“The only university with students from all the 36 States of the federation, including those from the FCT and foreign countries, while it has full NUC accreditation and professional bodies in all it’s 44 programmes.
” It had also been ranked as No. 1 in Africa in Sustainable Development Goal in SDG 13 (Climate Change),with a score of 83.1%, No. 1 in SDG 7 (Affordable & Clean Energy), with a score of 83.3%, 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, among several others.
” ABUAD is the only institution in Nigeria, and possibly Africa, with 124- Unit Industries, (Research Park), the only university with a sophisticated 400-Bed Multi-System Hospital, Independent Power Plant, IPP for regular and uninterrupted power supply, the only institution where fees for study of Agriculture is reduced by 50% , and N250,000 later given to every Agric graduates to start their farming businesses upon completion of studies.
” Aside from compulsory dressing code for both staff and students, and compulsory evening classes, the institution also champions what is known as Youth Empowerment Scheme, under which we have trained well over 1,000, and still counting, expended N186 million, and also doled out the sum of N49.1 million to those under entrepreneur scheme.
” We also have the university dam for regular water, modern Stadium, with Olympic size swimming pool, among several other landmarks, not common to many universities”, Ijabadeniyi said.
The University however appealed to both the Federal and Ekiti State Governments to compliment efforts of Babalola by seeing to the re- construction of the Ado-Ekiti – Ijan road as well as full completion of the Ado-Ekiti cargo airport.
Specifically, the VC said the role played by Babalola in the regular maintenance of the road to the university between 2009 and 2019, is in the public gear, saying same goes for the airport where he said Babalola hea invested billions of his personal money, to make it functional.
” The maintenance of Ado-Ekiti -Ijan road and the functionality of cargo airport is certainly beyond his capacity, bearing in mind, the quantum of projects he had embarked upon, in the overall interest of the state.
” Because of this, the time has come for both the Federal and Ekiti State Government to see to the immediate re-construction of the said road, and completion of the 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 University added