An Ekiti-born candidate, Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin, has become the greatest scorer in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) carried out by the Joint Admissions and Admission Board (JAMB), scoring 372 out of a possible 400 marks.
JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, divulged this on Monday during the 2026 admission policy conference kept in Abuja.
According to him, Jesudunsin sat for the examination in Ogun State and chosen University of Lagos as her first-choice institution to study Medication and Surgical treatment.
Oloyede noted that ball game is three points lower than the highest rating recorded in the 2025 UTME, when Chinedu Okeke from Anambra State scored 375.
Coming second in the 2026 ranking is Enwere Kingsley Ikenna from Imo State, who scored 370 after sitting for the assessment in Lagos State. He selected Nile University to study Computer Science.
Ayomide Bamisile from Ondo State protected the third position with 369 marks. Bamisile picked Federal University of Innovation Akure as his preferred institution to study Software Engineering.
Meanwhile, the JAMB registrar announced that the board plans to introduce a “Bring Your Own Device” alternative for UTME candidates beginning with 2027.
He discussed that candidates would be enabled to utilize personal devices during the examination, while unique flash drives would be deployed to avoid malpractice and protect the stability of the evaluation procedure.
Oloyede stated the innovation would reduce functional expenses, improve benefit, and address recurring complaints of system failures during examinations.
The stakeholders at the policy conference likewise agreed on timelines for the conclusion of the 2026 admission process throughout tertiary organizations.
According to the resolutions reached, public universities are expected to conclude admissions on or before October 31, 2026, while personal universities need to finish theirs by November 30, 2026.
Polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education were encouraged to finish up admissions by December 31, 2026.
Oloyede alerted organizations to strictly follow the approved timelines, stressing that organizations that fail to conclude admissions within the stipulated duration would lose access to prospects for that academic session.
He even more directed that effective prospects should accept admission offers within 4 weeks or run the risk of forfeiting them.
Leading 2026 UTME Candidates
1. Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin (Ekiti)– 372
2. Enwere Kingsley Ikenna (Imo)– 370
3. Ayomide Bamisile Emmanuel (Ondo)– 369
4. Olabiyisi Olanrewaju Oluwatimileyin (Oyo)– 368
5. Victor-Onyeka Daniel Ifeanyi (Imo)– 368
6. Osagiobare Daniel Osahenrumwen (Edo)– 368
7. Ademiluyi Adebowale Anthony (Osun)– 368
8. Azuike Kenechukwu Anthony (Anambra)– 368
9. Offorkile Michael Okechukwu (Abia)– 367
10. Adebisi Eniola Sonari (Ogun)– 367
11. Umukoro Present Orhenevovwero (Delta)– 367.
News Source: The Cable