ABUAD Celebrates Global Ranking, Credits Discipline and Innovation for Success

Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD)

The Acting Vice Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Prof. Olasupo Ijabadeniyi, has described the institution’s latest global ranking as both a celebration and a call to do even more.

Prof. Ijabadeniyi expressed elation over ABUAD’s recognition in the prestigious Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which on Wednesday ranked the university 84th globally.

Speaking during a press conference held in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Saturday, the acting VC stated, “Since the ranking was announced, we’ve rolled up our sleeves. We must sustain this achievement. We won’t rest on our laurels.”

He attributed the remarkable feat to the “resilience, hard work, and visionary leadership” of the university’s founder, Aare Afe Babalola; the commitment of the Vice Chancellor and her team; the dedication of both academic and non-academic staff; and the discipline instilled in the student body.

“Fifteen years since its founding, ABUAD has become the pride of its peers—including those that are decades older. In 2025, the university earned the No. 84 spot globally, No. 3 in Africa, and maintained the No. 1 position in Nigeria for four consecutive years—2022 through 2025—across eight ranking categories,” he noted.

While celebrating the global recognition, ABUAD also used the opportunity to appeal to both the federal and Ekiti State governments to urgently rehabilitate the Ado–Ijan Road leading to the campus and complete the cargo airport nearby to enhance accessibility.

“If the university becomes more accessible, it will draw even greater patronage from local and international communities, bringing further glory to both Ekiti State and Nigeria,” Ijabadeniyi said.

He recalled a 2015 statement from the founder, Aare Afe Babalola: “My wish, my hope, and my prayer is that this university would, in my lifetime, be recognised by the international community as one of the world’s top 100 institutions.”

“Here we are, 10 years later, and that dream has come true for a 15-year-old university,” Ijabadeniyi added with pride. “We are overwhelmed with joy and satisfaction.”

He emphasized that ABUAD’s rapid rise is the result of strategic, deliberate actions that have set it apart from older institutions.

Among the innovative initiatives he highlighted were:

A thoughtfully designed campus that enables smooth movement from colleges to hostels and academic facilities

Modern, fully equipped laboratories and workshops

Full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) and all relevant professional bodies across its 44 programmes

Mandatory certification in a foreign language (Chinese or French), with scholarship opportunities to study abroad

Evening academic sessions from 7–9 p.m.

A strict dress code for staff and students, now being adopted by other universities

He also cited consistent and independent power supply from the university’s power plant, a reliable water supply from its private dam, and a stable, uninterrupted academic calendar.

Additional accomplishments include:

Direct PhD admission opportunities for many ABUAD graduates

A 50% tuition reduction for Agriculture students

A ₦250,000 startup grant for every Agriculture graduate to launch their own agribusiness

A Youth Empowerment Scheme that has trained over 1,000 young Nigerians, with a total investment of ₦186 million

A 124-unit Industrial Research Park to bridge university-industry collaboration, foster economic growth, and create jobs for graduates and artisans

Ijabadeniyi also praised the university’s flagship healthcare facility—the state-of-the-art 400-bed ABUAD Multi-System Hospital—as a shining example of the institution’s commitment to excellence and innovation.

“We are committed to not only maintaining this standard but surpassing it in the years ahead,” he concluded.

Punch

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