In a recent release by Scopus, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State has emerged as the leading Nigerian tertiary institution in the 2024 most scholarly output for higher education institutes.
The data from Elsevier’s abstract and citation database, Scopus, revealed impressive research performance by UNN, securing the top position in scholarly output from 2020 to 2023.
As of January 7, 2024, UNN amassed 7025 publications from 5813 authors, setting it apart as the university with the highest research output. The University of Ibadan (UI) followed closely with 6978 publications involving 4732 authors.
The top five universities in the Scopus rankings are as follows:
- University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) – 7025 publications
- University of Ibadan (UI) – 6978 publications
- University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) – 3714 publications
- University of Lagos (UNILAG) – 3552 publications
- Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) – 3532 publications
Despite UNN leading in research output, UI garnered more citations, with 68,318 citations compared to UNN’s 44,741. The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) ranked first in the highest growth category, demonstrating a remarkable 25.5 per cent increase among the top three institutions.
UNN showcased a substantial 21.9 per cent growth in publication output from 2020 to 2022, while UI experienced a more modest 4.3 per cent growth during the same period.
Regarding the expansion in the number of authors, UNN reported an impressive 23.9 per cent increase, followed by UNILORIN with 9.8 per cent.
Scopus, emphasizing the significance of its data in university rankings, asserts that its database provides valuable insights into the genuine research performance of institutions.
”The rankings reflect the commitment and contribution of Nigerian universities to scholarly research and academic excellence,” it said in a statement.
