In a statement made available to The Nation, the management of the agency noted that it has come up with only one ranking – in 2002 – both based on performance of universities in accreditation exercises.

The statement reads: "The attention of the National Universities Commission (NUC) has been drawn to some purported lists, making the rounds on the internet, of the ‘Top 100′ and ‘Top 50′ universities in Nigeria, which were alleged to be the outcome of a non-existing ‘annual university rankings’ by the National University Commission (sic).

"It has to be stated, unequivocally, that the lists did not emanate from the NUC. The Commission therefore totally dissociates itself from them.

"The first ranking of Nigerian universities by the NUC in 2002 was based on the performance of the universities’ academic programmes in the 1999 and 2000 accreditation exercises.

"The 2002 ranking was based on data on the following: Percentage of academic programmes of the university with full accreditation status; Compliance with carrying capacity (measure of the degree of deviation from carrying capacity); Proportion of the academic staff of the university at professorial level; Foreign content (staff); Foreign content (student); Staff with outstanding academic achievements; Research output; Student completion rate; Ph.D graduate output for the year; Stability of university calendar; and Student-to-PC ratio. The results of the above were duly published by the Commission and the same will be done for future exercises.”

However, the agency noted that it is currently conducting institutional accreditation on the basis of which a form of ranking would emerge at a proper time.

It said: "In May, 2006, NUC considered introducing institutional accreditation to complement programme accreditation. Institutional accreditation is a process of evaluating the activities of an institution against the criteria established by an accrediting agency. These include governance and administration, financial stability, admissions, personnel services, institutional resources, student academic achievement, institutional effectiveness, and relationships with constituencies inside and outside the institution.

"Following wide consultations, the instruments for this exercise were designed and pilot-tested in six universities (Three federal, one state and two private) in 2010. The instruments were fine-tuned, based on the findings of the pilot exercise and NUC was ready for the full-blown institutional accreditation, which took off on 27 November, 2011. A total of 26 universities, selected, based on the fact that at least 70 per cent of all their programmeshad full accreditation, were involved in the exercise.

"The above is the build-up to the next ranking exercise by the NUC, which outcome will be made public, appropriately.”

The Nation.