The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially released the list of top-performing candidates in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with a prospective University of Lagos student emerging as the highest scorer nationwide.
Announcing the results during the 2025 JAMB Policy Meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, the Registrar of the Board, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, revealed that Okeke Chinedu Christian from Anambra State secured the highest UTME score this year, posting an impressive 375 out of a total of 400 marks.
According to Professor Oloyede, Chinedu, who selected the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as his first-choice institution, is seeking admission to study Mechanical Engineering. His outstanding performance places him at the top of the over 1.9 million candidates who sat for the examination across the country.
Closely behind Chinedu is Ayuba Simon-Peter John from Gombe State, who scored 374. Ayuba also applied to study Mechanical Engineering, but selected Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) as his preferred institution.
The third spot was clinched by Jimoh Abdulmalik Olayinka, a native of Kwara State, who scored 373. Olayinka, like Chinedu, chose UNILAG as his first choice and is also hoping to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
The Board noted that all three top scorers are male and opted to study the same course, highlighting a noteworthy pattern in both gender participation and course preference among the country’s highest achievers in this year’s UTME cycle.
While praising the academic excellence demonstrated by these candidates, JAMB also reiterated its commitment to upholding transparency, merit, and fairness in the admissions process. The Policy Meeting, which serves as a crucial platform for determining admission guidelines, brings together key stakeholders in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
As the admission season begins in earnest, these high-scoring candidates are expected to set the pace in what promises to be a competitive year for entry into the nation’s universities and other higher institutions.
