University of Nairobi Drops Out of Top 1,000 in Global QS Rankings

The University of Nairobi (UoN), East Africa’s leading academic institution, has dropped out of the top 1,000 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026. The university is now ranked in the 1,001–1,200 range, a significant slide from its 901–950 position in the previous year.

This development marks a troubling trend for sub-Saharan African universities, with only three of the 19 ranked institutions showing improvement—all of them from South Africa. According to QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter, the decline reflects the challenges faced by African institutions in remaining globally competitive.

UoN now ranks alongside regional peers such as Makerere University in Uganda and the University of Lagos in Nigeria. While its overall ranking has dropped, UoN excelled in one critical category: ‘Employment Outcomes,’ where it scored 95.6 and ranked 72nd globally, highlighting its graduates’ strong performance in the job market.

Underlying Challenges at UoN

The QS ranking drop comes amid persistent financial and governance crises at UoN. The university has been battling a budget shortfall caused by the Differentiated Unit Cost (DUC) funding model introduced in 2017. As of April 2025, UoN reportedly owed more than Ksh12 billion in pending statutory deductions and unpaid staff salaries.

These financial difficulties have constrained the university’s operations, stalled infrastructure development, and undermined the retention of academic talent. Simultaneously, internal leadership struggles have destabilised its governance structure.

The university has cycled through several acting Vice-Chancellors in recent years. Most recently, a leadership crisis erupted after the university council named Prof Elijah Bitange Ndemo as VC on May 5, 2025, replacing Prof Margaret Jesang Hutchinson. Ndemo declined the appointment, citing irregularities in the process. The Public Service Commission has since raised concerns over the impasse, warning it threatens the university’s academic continuity.

QS Ranking Methodology and Global Context

The QS World University Rankings assess institutions based on academic reputation, research output, internationalisation, graduate employability, and sustainability. UoN’s dip underscores the need for urgent reforms to improve its performance in these critical indicators.

Globally, the 2026 rankings remain dominated by elite institutions from the US and UK, with MIT, Imperial College London, and Stanford University leading the list.

As UoN grapples with these challenges, the latest rankings highlight the need for decisive leadership, funding reforms, and renewed academic focus to reclaim its historic position as a continental academic powerhouse.

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University of Nairobi Drops Out of Top 1,000 in Global QS Rankings