The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the names of the highest-scoring candidates in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with a University of Lagos medicine applicant emerging as the overall best candidate nationwide.
The list was unveiled during JAMB’s 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja on Monday.
According to the examination body, Ekiti State-born Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin recorded the highest score in the 2026 UTME with 372 marks out of a possible 400.
JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed that the candidate sat for the examination in Ogun State and selected Medicine and Surgery at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as her first-choice course and institution.
Her performance places her at the top of this year’s national ranking, although her score falls three points below the highest mark recorded in the 2025 UTME.
In 2025, Anambra-born Chinedu Okeke emerged as the best-performing candidate with a score of 375.
Coming second in the 2026 rankings is Enwere Kingsley Ikenna from Imo State, who scored 370 marks.
The candidate selected Nile University, Abuja, where he applied to study Computer Science.
Closely behind him is Bamisile Ayomide Emmanuel from Ondo State, who scored 369 marks and applied to study Software Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).
Several other candidates tied with scores of 368 and 367, reflecting intense competition among top-performing students across the country.
Among those who scored 368 marks are Olabiyisi Olanrewaju from Oyo State, who applied for Mechatronics Engineering at Pan-Atlantic University, and Victor-Onyeka Daniel from Imo State, who selected Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the University of Port Harcourt.
Others in the same category include Osagiobare Daniel Osamudiamen from Edo State, who applied for Mechanical Engineering at the University of Benin; Ademiluyi Adebowale from Osun State, who chose Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University; and Azuike Kenechukwu from Anambra State, who applied for Software Engineering at Afe Babalola University.
Candidates who scored 367 marks include Offorkile Michael from Abia State, who applied for Computer Science at the University of Ibadan, Adebisi Eniola Samuel from Ogun State, who selected Covenant University for Computer Science, and Umukoro Gift Oghenekevwe from Delta State, who applied for Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Pan-Atlantic University.
The release of the top scorers comes amid broader reforms in Nigeria’s tertiary education admission system.
Earlier during the policy meeting, JAMB retained 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into universities for the 2026 academic session.
The Federal Government also recently approved the removal of UTME requirements for candidates seeking admission into colleges of education, as well as students applying for non-technology agricultural programmes in polytechnics and monotechnics.
Education stakeholders said the strong performances recorded by candidates in this year’s examination reflect growing competitiveness among students seeking admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
Top 2026 UTME Candidates
Rank
Candidate
Score
Institution/Course
State
1
Owoeye Daniella J.
372
UNILAG – MBBS
Ekiti
2
Enwere Kingsley I.
370
Nile University – Computer Science
Imo
3
Bamisile Ayomide E.
369
FUTA – Software Engineering
Ondo
4
Olabiyisi Olanrewaju
368
Pan-Atlantic – Mechatronics
Oyo
4
Victor-Onyeka Daniel
368
UNIPORT – Electrical/Electronics
Imo
4
Osagiobare Daniel O.
368
UNIBEN – Mechanical Engineering
Edo
4
Ademiluyi Adebowale
368
OAU – Computer Engineering
Osun
4
Azuike Kenechukwu
368
ABUAD – Software Engineering
Anambra
9
Offorkile Michael
367
UI – Computer Science
Abia
9
Adebisi Eniola S.
367
Covenant – Computer Science
Ogun
9
Umukoro Gift O.
367
Pan-Atlantic – Electrical/Electronics
Delta
