Nigeria’s top scorer in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin, has challenged the growing belief among some young Nigerians that formal education offers little value.
Jesudunsin, 16, scored 372 out of 400 in the examination, maintaining that education remains an important tool for personal development, social mobility and success.
She spoke with journalists in Abuja after the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, honoured her alongside the first runner-up, Enwere Kingsley Ikenna, who scored 370, and six outstanding underage candidates.
The candidates were presented by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Segun Aina, as part of activities marking the board’s Customer Service Week.
Jesudunsin said education could help people from disadvantaged backgrounds access opportunities and improve their circumstances, arguing that its value should not be measured solely by immediate financial rewards.
Her comments come amid growing debate over the relevance of formal education, particularly among young Nigerians who point to unemployment, low wages and the apparent wealth of internet fraudsters and people involved in transactional sex.
For many young people, the difficulty graduates face in securing decent jobs has raised questions about the time and money invested in schooling. However, Jesudunsin maintained that these challenges do not make education worthless.
She said education equips people with knowledge, critical-thinking skills and the capacity to solve problems. Its benefits extend beyond obtaining certificates or securing employment to include informed decision-making, personal growth and contributions to society.
Nevertheless, the debate has highlighted persistent challenges in Nigeria’s education system, including inadequate facilities, poor teaching conditions, outdated curricula and the disconnect between some academic programmes and labour market needs.
Addressing these problems requires sustained investment in teachers, laboratories, libraries, digital infrastructure, research and technical and vocational education. Stronger partnerships between educational institutions and employers could also help ensure that students acquire practical skills relevant to the changing economy.
Nigeria must also recognise that university degrees are not the only routes to success. Technical training, entrepreneurship, vocational skills and lifelong learning can provide alternative pathways to employment and economic independence.
Jesudunsin’s achievement has also drawn attention to the need to identify and support talented students across the country. While her UTME score demonstrates exceptional academic performance, many gifted children lack access to quality teaching, adequate learning materials and other resources that could help them reach their potential.
The Federal Government’s assessment of underage UTME candidates for possible admission into tertiary institutions has further highlighted the importance of balancing academic performance with developmental readiness.
Alausa said 2,244,149 candidates registered for the 2026 UTME, while 2,174,396 sat the examination. Approximately 39,000 candidates were younger than the prescribed minimum admission age of 16.
Of those underage candidates, 391 scored at least 320 out of 400. Further assessments reduced the number who met the requirements for possible admission to 108.
The candidates were assessed on their UTME results, post-UTME examinations, O-level results and psychological, emotional and intellectual readiness for university education.
Alausa said the minimum age policy was not designed to prevent gifted children from progressing academically but to ensure that those admitted early possessed the maturity required to cope with university life.
Meanwhile, JAMB Registrar Aina said academic excellence should involve more than celebrating high examination scores. He said the board would continue working to improve candidates’ experiences, build trust and reduce the difficulties associated with the admission process.
Jesudunsin’s position reinforces the argument that education remains valuable, even as Nigeria confronts shortcomings in its schools and labour market. The challenge for policymakers and institutions is to make education more accessible, relevant and capable of translating learning into meaningful opportunities.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.