16-year-old Daniella Shares Success Story of JAMB 2026 Highest Score

A 16-year-old candidate, Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin, has emerged as the highest scorer in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, achieving an outstanding aggregate score of 372 out of 400, and is now sharing the secrets behind her remarkable success.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board announced the top-performing candidates during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja on Monday, May 11, 2026. According to the JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, Daniella topped the national list, scoring 372 marks.

Daniella, who is from Erinmope Ekiti in Ekiti State but sat for the examination in Ogun State, has applied to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Lagos. Her subject-by-subject breakdown showed exceptional performance: 98 in English Language, 98 in Chemistry, 94 in Physics, and 82 in Biology.

Reacting to her achievement in posts shared on her social media handles on Tuesday, Daniella attributed her success not to marathon study sessions but to smart and consistent preparation strategies.

“A lot of you have been asking about my study routine, but here’s the truth: I didn’t study 24 hours a day. I didn’t just study hard, I was smart with it, I made past questions my best friend,” she wrote on X.

She further advised other candidates to identify their weak subjects early and tackle them head-on. “I gave every subject the attention it deserved after identifying my strengths and weaknesses. Know your weak points and attack them early,” she added.

Speaking about the emotional journey, Daniella revealed that this was her second attempt at the UTME. She explained that she had graduated from secondary school in 2025 but faced technical glitches during her first examination that affected her result. This setback did not deter her ambition.

“To God be all the glory! I’m excited to share that I emerged as Nigeria’s 2026 JAMB Highest Scorer with an aggregate score of 372/400,” she wrote in another celebratory post . On her Facebook handle, she concluded, “This achievement did not come easily. The preparation process was quite demanding and challenging, but by the grace of God, my efforts eventually paid off”.

In an interview, the young scholar opened up about her ambitious target. “I was aiming for nothing less than 350, so I fixed my goal at 370+,” she was quoted as saying. Explaining her choice of institution and course, she stated, “I chose UNILAG because it is one of the best universities that offers my desired course, and I chose Medicine and Surgery because of my unwavering interest and passion to provide medical support for the sick, relieve pain and help people live a healthy life”.

Her father, Owoeye Kehinde Joshua, expressed immense pride in a Facebook post celebrating his daughter’s feat. He wrote, “Congratulations to my darling daughter Daniella Jesudunsin Owoeye, the overall highest scorer in UTME 2026/27 in Nigeria. Congratulations to the entire Owoeye/Ibidunni dynasty, congratulations to Erinmope Ekiti, congratulations to the whole Ekiti State indigenes home and abroad. Your daughter has made you proud. More wins for her in Jesus name, amen”.

The Ekiti State Government also extended its congratulations, describing her performance as a shining example of youth resilience. “Brilliance shines brightest when determination meets opportunity. Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin, an indigene of Ekiti State, has made history by scoring 372 out of 400 in UTME 2026, the highest nationwide,” the government’s statement read, adding that her performance reflects “the resilience and vision of Nigeria’s youth, proving that excellence is possible when focus and ambition align”.

Her community, the Erinmope Development Union, also celebrated her achievement, stating that her success serves as a powerful source of inspiration to other young students with aspirations of excelling academically.

Daniella, who attended EFVP Wisdom Spring Model School and also received support from Daily Ed Consults tutorial centre, finished second on the national list ahead of Enwere Kingsley Ikenna from Imo State who scored 370 marks.

As she now sets her sights on gaining admission to study Medicine at UNILAG, Daniella’s story continues to inspire thousands of Nigerian students preparing for their own academic pursuits.