Nigeria's Top 2% Scientists 2023
Nigeria has 186 scientists on the 2023 single-year Top 2% list, up 24.0% from 150 in 2022. That places Nigeria 49th in the world by number of listed scientists. University of Nigeria has the most listed scientists (13), followed by Federal University of Technology, Akure (11).
Scientists in Nigeria on the list, by year
The single-year count has more than doubled since 2020.
Show the numbers
| Year | Single Year | Change | Career Data | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 71 | 42 | ||
| 2021 | 121 | +70.4% | 73 | +73.8% |
| 2022 | 150 | +24.0% | 87 | +19.2% |
| 2023 | 186 | +24.0% | 99 | +13.8% |
| 2024 | 233 | +25.3% | 117 | +18.2% |
| 2025 | 291 | +24.9% | 142 | +21.4% |
Top 10 institutes in Nigeria
By number of listed scientists
Show the list
All 186 scientists
| Rank in Nigeria | World rank | Scientist | Institute | Sub-field | Rank in sub-field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,773 | Centre for Healthy Start Initiative | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 84 | |
| 2 | 4,070 | University of Lagos | Environmental Sciences | Rank 60 | |
| 3 | 4,489 | Ladoke Akintola University of Technology | Environmental Sciences | Rank 65 | |
| 4 | 6,177 |
GO
|
University College Hospital, Ibadan | Psychiatry | Rank 149 |
| 5 | 12,406 | Central Bank of Nigeria | Finance | Rank 59 | |
| 6 | 12,773 | Federal University of Technology, Akure | Mathematical Physics | Rank 9 | |
| 7 | 13,037 |
OG
|
Federal University of Technology, Akure | Food Science | Rank 92 |
| 8 | 14,228 | College of Medicine, University of Ibadan | Neurology & Neurosurgery | Rank 779 | |
| 9 | 15,226 | Federal University of Technology, Akure | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 150 | |
| 10 | 18,709 | Federal University of Technology, Owerri | Materials | Rank 328 | |
| 11 | 24,654 | College of Medicine, University of Ibadan | Toxicology | Rank 93 | |
| 12 | 25,356 | Air Force Institute of Technology | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 255 | |
| 13 | 27,496 | Usmanu Danfodiyo University | Energy | Rank 623 | |
| 14 | 29,211 | Nnamdi Azikiwe University | Polymers | Rank 231 | |
| 15 | 34,561 | Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 550 | |
| 16 | 35,425 | Covenant University | Building & Construction | Rank 219 | |
| 17 | 35,968 | Centre for Econometrics & Applied Research | Economics | Rank 490 | |
| 18 | 36,832 |
BO
|
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology | Environmental Sciences | Rank 584 |
| 19 | 37,870 | Ebonyi State University | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 563 | |
| 20 | 38,837 | University of Nigeria | Health Policy & Services | Rank 86 | |
| 21 | 40,690 | Central Bank of Nigeria | Environmental Sciences | Rank 640 | |
| 22 | 40,842 | University of Port Harcourt | Toxicology | Rank 146 | |
| 23 | 41,284 | Fountain University | Analytical Chemistry | Rank 229 | |
| 24 | 41,695 | University College Hospital, Ibadan | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 613 | |
| 25 | 41,731 | Nnamdi Azikiwe University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 654 | |
| 26 | 42,670 | Afe Babalola University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 668 | |
| 27 | 54,417 | Covenant University | Polymers | Rank 466 | |
| 28 | 54,954 | Afe Babalola University | Environmental Sciences | Rank 876 | |
| 29 | 57,289 | Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital | Tropical Medicine | Rank 61 | |
| 30 | 57,556 | Adamawa State University, Mubi | Energy | Rank 1,375 | |
| 31 | 57,920 | Federal University, Oye-Ekiti | Food Science | Rank 553 | |
| 32 | 58,448 | Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 835 | |
| 33 | 64,493 | Adekunle Ajasin University | Chemical Engineering | Rank 461 | |
| 34 | 66,302 | University of Ilorin | Environmental Sciences | Rank 1,095 | |
| 35 | 66,627 | Covenant University | Energy | Rank 1,600 | |
| 36 | 67,249 | Ladoke Akintola University of Technology | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 1,124 | |
| 37 | 67,486 | Covenant University | Materials | Rank 1,250 | |
| 38 | 69,292 | University of Ibadan | Energy | Rank 1,656 | |
| 39 | 70,527 | University of Ibadan | Microbiology | Rank 1,595 | |
| 40 | 71,264 | Obafemi Awolowo University | Dentistry | Rank 326 | |
| 41 | 71,770 | Federal University of Technology, Akure | Food Science | Rank 703 | |
| 42 | 77,206 | Bayero University | Tropical Medicine | Rank 95 | |
| 43 | 79,290 |
KL
|
College of Medicine, University of Ibadan | Psychiatry | Rank 1,327 |
| 44 | 83,547 | Federal University of Technology, Minna | Energy | Rank 2,043 | |
| 45 | 86,928 | Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Makurdi | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 2,729 | |
| 46 | 87,788 | University of Benin | Microbiology | Rank 1,983 | |
| 47 | 88,383 | Federal University of Technology, Minna | Environmental Sciences | Rank 1,510 | |
| 48 | 88,838 | Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike | Business & Management | Rank 1,722 | |
| 49 | 90,201 |
TA
|
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta | Environmental Sciences | Rank 1,538 |
| 50 | 91,458 | Bowen University | Toxicology | Rank 352 | |
| 51 | 91,627 | Rivers State University | Ecology | Rank 1,667 | |
| 52 | 94,139 | Olabisi Onabanjo University | Energy | Rank 2,332 | |
| 53 | 100,659 | Covenant University | Materials | Rank 1,960 | |
| 54 | 101,373 | Obafemi Awolowo University | Chemical Physics | Rank 1,260 | |
| 55 | 103,103 | University of Ibadan | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 1,319 | |
| 56 | 103,264 | Covenant University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 937 | |
| 57 | 106,661 | University of Nigeria | Energy | Rank 2,710 | |
| 58 | 108,010 | Delta State University Nigeria | Environmental Sciences | Rank 1,857 | |
| 59 | 108,601 | College of Medicine, University of Ibadan | Neurology & Neurosurgery | Rank 5,111 | |
| 60 | 110,920 | National Hospital, Abuja | Pediatrics | Rank 396 | |
| 61 | 112,768 | Nnamdi Azikiwe University | Chemical Engineering | Rank 923 | |
| 62 | 115,109 | University of Ilorin | Energy | Rank 2,937 | |
| 63 | 121,087 | University of Nigeria | Building & Construction | Rank 844 | |
| 64 | 121,702 | University of Nigeria | Materials | Rank 2,437 | |
| 65 | 123,377 | Nigerian Institute of Medical Research | Microbiology | Rank 2,814 | |
| 66 | 123,818 | University of Ibadan | Food Science | Rank 1,321 | |
| 67 | 124,366 | University of Port Harcourt | Toxicology | Rank 497 | |
| 68 | 125,088 | Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike | Food Science | Rank 1,338 | |
| 69 | 125,297 | Federal University of Technology, Akure | Food Science | Rank 1,343 | |
| 70 | 129,633 | Redeemer‘s University | Chemical Engineering | Rank 1,078 | |
| 71 | 134,346 | University of Nigeria | Health Policy & Services | Rank 335 | |
| 72 | 135,347 | Nigeria Centre for Disease Control | Microbiology | Rank 3,084 | |
| 73 | 140,220 |
IA
|
University of Port Harcourt | Nuclear & Particle Physics | Rank 1,599 |
| 74 | 142,611 | Freelance writer | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 1,737 | |
| 75 | 143,226 | Ahmadu Bello University | General & Internal Medicine | Rank 1,743 | |
| 76 | 145,440 | Landmark University | Agronomy & Agriculture | Rank 995 | |
| 77 | 151,742 | Adekunle Ajasin University | Agronomy & Agriculture | Rank 1,051 | |
| 78 | 153,975 |
OA
|
Federal University of Technology, Akure | Building & Construction | Rank 1,053 |
| 79 | 155,617 | Bells University of Technology | Materials | Rank 3,236 | |
| 80 | 159,343 | Chevron Nigeria Limited | Energy | Rank 4,213 | |
| 81 | 160,003 | University of Ibadan | Energy | Rank 4,226 | |
| 82 | 162,111 | University of Calabar | Environmental Engineering | Rank 1,017 | |
| 83 | 162,346 | Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun | Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry | Rank 723 | |
| 84 | 166,346 | University of Ibadan | Energy | Rank 4,405 | |
| 85 | 168,262 | University of Benin | Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine | Rank 1,106 | |
| 86 | 174,445 | Nile University of Nigeria | Pharmacology & Pharmacy | Rank 1,318 | |
| 87 | 186,555 | University of Nigeria | Applied Physics | Rank 3,836 | |
| 88 | 191,691 | University of Nigeria | Applied Physics | Rank 3,956 | |
| 89 | 192,161 | Federal University of Technology, Akure | Geological & Geomatics Engineering | Rank 1,721 | |
| 90 | 192,275 | International Institute of Tropical Agriculture | Plant Biology & Botany | Rank 3,458 | |
| 91 | 197,674 | College of Medicine, University of Ibadan | Toxicology | Rank 834 | |
| 92 | 198,369 | University of Abuja | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 6,112 | |
| 93 | 199,853 | National Agency for Science & Engineering Infrastructure, Nigeria | Analytical Chemistry | Rank 1,656 | |
| 94 | 203,893 | University of Calabar | Energy | Rank 5,486 | |
| 95 | 205,023 | University of Ilorin | Materials | Rank 4,468 | |
| 96 | 205,692 | Redeemer‘s University | Mechanical Engineering & Transports | Rank 1,832 | |
| 97 | 209,630 | University of Lagos | Environmental Sciences | Rank 3,909 | |
| 98 | 211,412 |
NH
|
Ebonyi State University | Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing | Rank 6,499 |
| 99 | 212,231 | University of Nigeria | Industrial Engineering & Automation | Rank 2,014 | |
| 100 | 215,604 | Bioresources Institute of Nigeria | Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry | Rank 980 | |
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See all 186 scientists in Nigeria
You are seeing the first 100. 86 more are on the 2023 single-year list.
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Frequently asked questions
How many scientists from Nigeria are in the 2023 Stanford Top 2% list?
186 scientists affiliated with Nigeria are on the 2023 single-year list, and 99 are on the career-long list.
Which institute in Nigeria has the most Top 2% scientists?
On the 2023 single-year list, University of Nigeria has the most listed scientists from Nigeria, with 13. It is followed by Federal University of Technology, Akure with 11.
How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Nigeria changed since 2020?
On the single-year list, Nigeria went from 71 scientists in 2020 to 186 in 2023, a change of +162.0%.
What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?
The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.
What is the official source of this data?
The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.