UTME 2026: Full List of Nigeria’s Top 10 Most Selected Universities
- Lagos State University has ranked first in UTME 2026 selections with 84,426 applicants across the country
- Obafemi Awolowo University rose sharply to third position in 2026 after previously ranking ninth in earlier years
- UNILORIN has also dropped from long-time first place to seventh position in the 2026 application rankings list
The latest 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) application statistics have disclosed the universities most selected by candidates as their first-choice institutions across Nigeria.
The figures are contained in the latest UTME application statistics by Institution released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), formally announced on Monday, May 11, during the ongoing 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting on Admissions held in Abuja.
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The ranking also shows changes in candidates’ preferences over the years, with some universities recording major rises while others maintained stable positions or dropped in the rankings.
Below is a breakdown of the 2026 ranking.
Lagos State University
According to the ranking, the Lagos State University (LASU) leads the list with 84,426 applicants. It represents 3.76% of total first-choice selections. The institution also maintained the top position it held in 2025, just as it recorded a steady rise in recent years. It ranked second in 2024 and third in 2023. The institution was not among the top 10 most preferred universities in 2021 and 2022.
University of Lagos
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) follows with 78,240 applicants, which makes it the second most chosen university with 3.49 per cent of total first-choice applications. It has remained among the top two choices in recent years. While UNILAG has remained one of the country’s most attractive universities, the institution occupied second place in 2025, third in 2024, and second again in 2023, 2022, and 2021.
Obafemi Awolowo University
One of the biggest changes in the 2026 ranking came from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), which moved from ninth position in both 2024 and 2025 to third place in 2026. The university attracted 60,370 first-choice applicants, representing 2.69 per cent of the total. OAU also ranked seventh in 2023 and 2022 before returning strongly this year.
University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan (UI) ranked fourth with 58,895 applicants, accounting for 2.63 per cent of total applications. The university has gradually climbed the ranking in recent years. UI occupied sixth place in both 2024 and 2025 after appearing in 10th position in 2022 and 2023. It did not appear among the top 10 universities in 2021. It continues to maintain a strong presence among candidates selecting federal universities.
University of Benin
University of Benin (UNIBEN) holds the fifth position with 55,425 applicants. The institution accounted for 2.47 per cent of total applications. Its ranking shows a steady level of interest from candidates over the years. UNIBEN ranked eighth in both 2024 and 2025 after previously occupying fifth place in 2022 and 2023. It also ranked third in 2021.
Nnamdi Azikiwe University
Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) ranks sixth with 54,085 applicants. Its rank represents 2.41 per cent of total applications. The institution moved slightly down compared to previous years, but remains among the most selected schools. UNIZIK maintained fifth position in both 2024 and 2025. It previously ranked eighth in 2023, third in 2022, and fourth in 2021.
University of Ilorin
University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), which dominated the ranking for several years, drastically dropped to seventh place in 2026 with 52,514 applicants. UNILORIN accounted for 2.34 per cent of the total applications. The university had occupied the number one position from 2021 to 2024 before falling to third in 2025 and then seventh in 2026.
Source: Facebook
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) occupies eighth place with 51,660 applicants. It remains one of the most consistent choices among candidates, representing 2.30 per cent of total first-choice selections. The university, which has maintained a relatively stable position over the years, ranked seventh in both 2024 and 2025, sixth in 2023, eighth in 2022, and fifth in 2021.
Federal University Oye-Ekiti
Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) is ninth with 48,272 applicants. Its position has remained relatively stable across recent years. FUOYE accounted for 2.15 per cent of the total applications. The institution ranked fourth in 2023, 2024, and 2025 after earlier positions in sixth place in 2022 and seventh in 2021.
University of Port Harcourt
University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) completes the top ten with 48,199 applicants, also representing 2.15 per cent of the total applications. The institution appeared in the top 10 in 2024 but was absent from the ranking in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025.
2024 first-class graduates: Nigerian universities ranked
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Covenant University recorded the highest proportion of first-class graduates in 2024, with about 21% of students earning top honours, while UNIBEN produced the highest total number of first-class graduates.
Data showed that private universities recorded stronger first-class performance at about 17% compared to roughly 3% in public universities.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
