By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), during its 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja on Monday, May 11, announced that Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin emerged as the overall top scorer in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Out of 2,243,816 candidates who registered for the 2026 UTME, representing a 10.5 percent increase compared with those who registered to sit for the examination in 2025, Owoeye scored 372 marks.
Owoeye sat for the examination in Ogun State but hails from Ekiti State and chose the University of Lagos (University of Lagos) in the 2026 UTME to study Medicine and Surgery (MBBS).
In this report, Impact Nigeria Newspaper highlights UTME candidates who emerged as top scorers in the competitive examination since 2013 when the computer-based test (CBT) option was introduced, according to JAMB.
1. Olise Israel Chukwunalu
In the inaugural year of the CBT option for UTME, Olise Israel Chukwunalu, with Registration Number 37207292AB, emerged as the top scorer in the examination, scoring 299/400.
He gained admission to the University of Ibadan to study Medicine and Surgery and has since qualified as a medical doctor.
2. Onomejoh Princewill
Onomejoh Princewill, with Registration Number 47049891HB, was named the highest UTME scorer in 2014, with a score of 299/400.
He went on to study at the University of Benin, graduating with a first-class degree and emerging as the best student in his faculty.
3. Ilukwe Lottachukwu Geraldine
In 2015, Ilukwe Lottachukwu Geraldine, a student of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja, with Registration Number 55395199EB, topped the UTME with 332.
She went on to study law at the London School of Economics and Political Science and is now a practising lawyer and consultant in the United Kingdom.
4. Akenbor Adesuwa Osarugue and Anonye Victory Emenike
The 2016 UTME came with a new twist, being the first time two candidates tied for the top position.
Akenbor Adesuwa Osarugue (Registration Number: 65290500BI) and Anonye Victory Emenike (Registration Number: 65740193BF) had identical scores of 359/400.
Akenbor went on to study Medicine at the University of Benin, while Anonye pursued Medicine and Surgery at the University of Jos.
5. Akingbulugbe Precious Ayomide
The 2017 highest UTME scorer in 2017 was Akingbulugbe Precious Ayomide, with Registration Number 75902784CB. Akingbulugbe scored 353/400 to clinch the top spot in 2017.
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6. Galadima Israel Zakari
Borno State-born Galadima Israel Zakari, with Registration Number 86034528DA, emerged as the highest UTME scorer in 2018.
Galadima polled 364 in the 2018 UTME and ranks among the strongest UTME performances in the examination’s CBT history, according to the data in JAMB’s official records.
7. Ezeunala Ekene Franklin
In 2019, Ezeunala Ekene Franklin (Registration Number 96630270JC) scored 347 to emerge as the highest UTME scorer in that year.
The 15-year-old is one of the youngest top scorers in the examination’s history and was a graduate of Meiran Community Senior High School, Lagos.
8. Maduafokwa Egoagwuagwu Agnes
Maduafokwa Egoagwuagwu Agnes (Registration Number 21398306DF) from Anambra State, polled the highest UTME score in 2020.
A graduate of Louisville Girls High School in Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State, Maduafokwa scored 365, which remained the highest score in the CBT era until 2024.
She went on to study Mechanical Engineering at Duke University in the United States under the institution’s Karsh International Scholarship.
9. Monwuba Chibuzo Chibuikem
The highest UTME scorer in 2021 was Monwuba Chibuzo Chibuikem (Registration Number 10054281ID), with a score of 358.
Monwuba went on to study Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at the University of South Florida in the United States.
10. Adebayo Eyimofe Oluwatofunmi
In 2022, Ekiti State-born Adebayo Eyimofe Oluwatofunmi, with Registration Number 202211075576JA, emerged as the top UTME scorer with a score of 362.
11. Umeh Kamsiyochukwu Nkechinyere
Umeh Kamsiyochukwu Nkechinyere, a student of Deeper Life High School in Mowe, Ogun State (Registration Number 202330325356GA) from Anambra State, scored 360 to emerge the highest UTME candidate in 2023.
Her achievement attracted national celebration, including a full scholarship from the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo.
12. Olowu Joseph Oluwasijibomi, Alayande David, and Orukpe Joel Ehijele
One of the rare ties witnessed in the history of the CBT-based UTME in Nigeria occurred in 2024 when three candidates got identical scores.
According to JAMB, Olowu Joseph Oluwasijibomi from Ondo State, Alayande David from Oyo State, and Orukpe Joel Ehijele from Edo State emerged the top UTME scorers in 2024 with identical scores of 367.
Despite only 0.46 percent of the 1.8 million candidates who sat for the examination scoring 300 and above, the trio, with registration numbers 202440343695GA, 202440097040EF, and 202440089418GA, respectively, achieved the rare feat.
13. Okeke Chinedu Christian
In 2025, Okeke Chinedu Christian polled the all-time best record so far witnessed in the history of the CBT-based UTME.
The Anambra State indigene scored 374 in the 2025 examination to emerge the highest UTME scorer in that year.
According to JAMB’s official press conference document, delivered by Registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede on May 14, 2025, the registrar described the score as “the best highest in the last one and half decades.”
14. Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin
The latest name in the list of highest UTME scorers since 2013 is Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin, who scored 372 in the 2026 UTME.
Owoeye, who sat for the examination in Ogun State but hails from Ekiti State, chose the University of Lagos to study Medicine and Surgery in the 2026 examination.
She was closely followed by Enwere Kingsley Ikenna (370) and Bamisile Ayomide Emmanuel (369), with several other candidates recording 368 and 367.
