The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially released the name, score, state of origin, examination centre location, intended course of study, and preferred university of the top performer in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The announcement was made during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admission to Tertiary Institutions, held in Abuja on Monday, May 11.
Details of the 2026 UTME Highest Scorer
According to the information displayed by JAMB, the highest scorer is Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin. She achieved a score of 372 in the UTME. Jesudunsin has chosen to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). She hails from Ekiti State but sat for her examination in Ogun State.
JAMB Announces Cut-Off Marks for 2026/2027 Admissions
During the same policy meeting, JAMB also announced the minimum admissible scores, commonly referred to as cut-off marks, for admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 academic session. The board stated that the decision was reached after a vote involving vice-chancellors present at the meeting.
For universities, the minimum admissible score is set at 150. For polytechnics, the cut-off mark is 100, while colleges of nursing will also use 150 as their minimum score.
Public Reactions to the Cut-Off Marks
The announcement of the cut-off marks has sparked mixed reactions from Nigerians. Some individuals defended the board's decision, while others criticized it as being too low.
Akorede commented: "Minimum oo, I know some people will still cry under this post. Depending on the number of applications and other factors, each school will determine their own cut-off marks for each course, but cannot go below 150. I would have said the lowest score should be 200, but again, I understand the quota system is at play here."
Foundational Hausa Man stated: "Anyone who scores 150 out of 400 total points should not qualify for admission into a polytechnic, let alone a university or nursing school."
Namzy warned: "If you scored below 200 in UTME, just protect your mental health and avoid these schools: Lagos State University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, etc. Those schools will humble you academically before admission even starts."
Olalubi Bidemi Olayinka criticized: "What's school turning to? During my days, the cut-off mark for universities was 200 upwards; even with 200, your chance of getting admission into a university is slim. No wonder the majority of graduates can't defend themselves when necessary."
Deadline for University Admissions
In addition to the cut-off marks, JAMB and other education stakeholders have approved deadlines for the completion of the 2025/2026 admission exercise. All public universities must complete their admission processes by October 31, 2026. Private universities have been granted an extension until November 30, 2026.
