An Ekiti-born student, Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin, has emerged as the highest-scoring candidate in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), scoring an impressive 372 out of a possible 400 marks.
The announcement was made on Monday in Abuja during the 2026 Admission Policy Meeting convened by JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede.
According to Oloyede, Jesudunsin sat for the examination in Ogun State and selected University of Lagos as her first-choice institution, where she intends to study Medicine and Surgery.
Her remarkable performance places her at the top of the national ranking for the 2026 UTME exercise, although the score falls slightly below the 375 recorded in 2025 by Chinedu Okeke from Anambra State.
Other Top-Performing Candidates
Coming second nationwide was Enwere Kingsley Ikenna from Imo State, who scored 370 marks after sitting for the examination in Lagos State. He chose Nile University as his preferred institution to study Computer Science.
In third position was Bamisile Ayomide Emmanuel from Ondo State, who scored 369 marks and selected Federal University of Technology Akure to study Software Engineering.
Other candidates who distinguished themselves with exceptional scores include:
Olabiyisi Olanrewaju Oluwatimileyin from Oyo State — 368 marks, chose Pan-Atlantic University for Mechatronics Engineering.
Victor-Onyeka Daniel Ifeanyi from Imo State — 368 marks, selected University of Port Harcourt for Electrical/Electronic Engineering.
Osagiobare Daniel Osahenrumwen from Edo State — 368 marks, chose University of Benin for Mechanical Engineering.
Ademiluyi Adebowale Anthony from Osun State — 368 marks, selected Obafemi Awolowo University for Computer Engineering.
Azuike Kenechukwu Anthony from Anambra State — 368 marks, chose Afe Babalola University for Software Engineering.
Offorkile Michael Okechukwu from Abia State — 367 marks, applied to study Computer Science.
Adebisi Eniola Sonari from Ogun State — 367 marks, selected Covenant University for Computer Science.
Umukoro Gift Orhenevovwero from Delta State — 367 marks, chose University of Lagos for Electrical/Electronics Engineering.
JAMB Introduces “Bring Your Own Device” Policy for 2027
In another major development, Oloyede disclosed that JAMB plans to introduce a “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) option beginning from the 2027 UTME exercise.
Under the proposed innovation, candidates will be permitted to use personal devices during examinations, with special flash drives inserted into the systems to prevent examination malpractice and maintain the integrity of the process.
The JAMB Registrar explained that the initiative would reduce operational costs, simplify logistics, and address complaints from candidates whose examination systems reportedly malfunction during tests.
He added that the board is working on additional technological innovations aimed at ensuring a smoother and more efficient examination process in the coming years.
Deadlines Approved for 2026 Admission Exercise
Stakeholders at the policy meeting also approved timelines for the completion of the 2026 admission process across Nigerian tertiary institutions.
According to the resolutions reached:
Public universities are expected to conclude admissions on or before October 31, 2026.
Private universities must complete admissions by November 30, 2026.
Oloyede directed all institutions to strictly adhere to the approved deadlines, warning that any institution that fails to conclude admissions within the stipulated timeframe would lose access to candidates for that admission cycle.
He further announced that all successful candidates must accept their admission offers within four weeks, stressing that failure to do so would automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer and could render such candidates ineligible for further admission consideration during the session.
The JAMB Registrar noted that the measures are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen fairness, transparency, accountability, and efficiency in Nigeria’s tertiary admission system.
The performance of the top candidates in the 2026 UTME has once again sparked nationwide conversations about academic excellence, competitiveness, and the growing standard of tertiary entrance examinations in the country.
