Professor Olunifemi Adekunle Suraj, a lecturer at the [University of Lagos](https://unilag.edu.ng) and Global Co‑Lead of the [UNESCO](https://en.unesco.org) University Network for Media and Information Literacy, has urged the nation to strengthen infrastructure and increase funding so that Nigerian universities can improve their standing in global rankings.
During an interview with ARISE News on Saturday, Suraj noted that while the rise in the number of Nigerian institutions appearing in international rankings is encouraging, it must be considered alongside the deep‑seated structural weaknesses that still plague the higher‑education system.
He observed, “In terms of teaching, Nigeria performs quite well, but when we compare research output and its quality with leading universities worldwide, we fall short.”
He added, “The research environment is where the problem lies; we are lagging in that area.”
Suraj also highlighted a shortfall in industrial collaboration, stating that this is another sector where Nigerian universities are underperforming.
He concluded that addressing these two gaps—research environment and industry partnership—could propel the country forward in global university rankings.
The academic pointed out that insufficient funding remains a major barrier to research, emphasizing that scholars need financial support for projects and for travel related to academic work.
“When it comes to funding, Nigeria is not there. I’m telling you the truth,” he said.
“You cannot conduct thorough research without the necessary money to carry it out. That resource is missing.”
Suraj called for upgrades to university infrastructure and a boost in investment for digital repositories, arguing that these steps would enhance the visibility of Nigerian research outputs.
He urged, “We need to fix the broken glass, repair the infrastructure base, increase funding, and develop more digital repositories so that all our data can be seen. This will raise our visibility.”
He stressed that the state of campus facilities remains a critical concern, especially as institutions aim to compete on an international stage.
Linking the expansion of higher‑education institutions to funding, Suraj warned that establishing new universities without adequately supporting existing ones could further strain limited resources.
“I’ve said before there’s no way to marry more wives when you can’t even support one,” he remarked, using a local analogy to illustrate the point.
The professor also called for greater transparency in the management of funds earmarked for university development.
“I think if [TETFund](https://www.tetfund.gov.ng) is well managed, Nigeria would be far better off today regarding university funding,” he asserted.