TDNnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) has secured the fifth position among Nigeria’s most sought-after universities in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), according to data released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The disclosure was made by JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, during the 2026 policy meeting on admissions into tertiary institutions held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The ranking reflects a high concentration of applications in a select group of competitive institutions, underscoring their academic reputation, programme offerings, and perceived admission advantages.
According to the figures, Lagos State University (LASU) led the list with 70,080 applicants, followed by University of Lagos (UNILAG) with 58,645, and University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) with 56,758.
Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) ranked fourth with 52,108 applicants, while UNIZIK recorded 51,487 to place fifth.
Other institutions on the list include University of Ibadan (UI), which placed sixth with 47,571 applicants, followed by University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in seventh position with 46,273.
University of Benin (UNIBEN) ranked eighth with 45,868, while Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) came ninth with 45,777. Federal University, Lafia (FULAFIA) completed the top 10 with 42,962 applicants.
The trend highlights the dominance of federal and state universities located in academically established and urban centres, particularly in Lagos, Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti, and Anambra States.
These institutions continue to attract significant interest due to their strong academic reputation, stable academic calendars, graduate employability, and conducive learning environments.
Reacting to the development, the Director of Information and Public Relations at UNIZIK, Comrade Aloysius Emeka Attah, expressed optimism that the university could break into the top three in subsequent rankings.
He attributed the steady rise in applications to improved institutional stability, enhanced academic standards, and ongoing reforms under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, as well as the Governing Council chaired by Pro-Chancellor, Monsur Olugbenga Kukoyi.
Attah noted that UNIZIK’s growing appeal is driven by its experienced faculty, expanding research capacity, strong alumni network, and increasing graduate employability, alongside a stable academic calendar and other positive developments within the institution.
