The University of Ibadan has significantly contributed to Nigeria's political, industrial, economic, and cultural development through its extensive network of graduates.

[11] Following the tropical modernist style, the 1950s construction comprised administrative blocks, residential colleges and academic facilities.

[29] The University of Ibadan has 15 halls of residence that provide accommodation for about 30% of the population of students in the regular studies mode.

[30] The university has residential and sports facilities for staff and students on campus, as well as separate botanical and zoological gardens.

[31] Among the notable structures in the university is the central Kenneth Dike Library (popularly called "KDL" by the students), located just beside the Faculty of Arts.

The library, which has a large capacity for students, contains books relating to virtually all fields of knowledge both in and outside the university community.

It was established out of the desires of the founding fathers and matriarch of the institution to cut a niche for research and sound teaching.

The library will also admit any outsider with cogent reasons upon the provision of a letter of introduction from a recognized university official (i.e. dean of a faculty, head of department from the visitor's school or director of an organization).

The university has educated many notable alumni, including a Nobel Laureate in Literature, eminent mathematicians, scientists, politicians, lawyers, business icons, philosophers, writers, monarchs, countless technocrats, recipients of the Nigerian National Order of Merit and fellows of the various learned academies.