₦airaland Forum

Where do Nigeria’s brightest UTME candidates dream of studying?
From Lagos to Ibadan, Abuja to Benin, the first-choice patterns of top scorers reveal shifting loyalties, regional dominance, and the quiet battle between federal giants and private disruptors. The data from 2023 to 2025 tells its own story, of tradition, prestige, and sudden surprises.
Which universities are winning the hearts of Nigeria’s best UTME scorers and which ones are slipping off the radar?

WHERE UTME BEST CANDIDATES CHOSE TO STUDY — 2023, 2024, 2025

1ST CHOICE — 2023 | 2024 | 2025
1 🟣UNILAG — 6 | 1 | 5
2 🟣COVENANT — 3 | 1 | 1
3 🟤UNIBEN — 1 | 2 | 0
4 🟣UI — 1 | 0 | 2
5 🔴AFIT — 0 | 2 | 0
6 🟠NILE — 0 | 2 | 0
7 🟣FUTA — 1 | 1 | 0
8 🟣LASU — 0 | 1 | 0
9 🟤FUPRE — 0 | 1 | 0
10 🟣BABCOCK — 0 | 1 | 0
11 🟣ABUAD — 0 | 0 | 1
12 🟣OAU — 0 | 0 | 1
13 🟣PAN-ATL — 0 | 1 | 0

🟣SW 🟤SS 🟠NC 🔴NW

#Statisense
(JAMB)

https://x.com/StatiSense/status/1946207568965070859

Nice.

Good one to know. Wish them the very best in their careers

Why these parents never want this hot brains studying anywhere in the East beats my imagination.

Even igbos don't want to go school in igboland.

I no get 3 characters to add.

Good for them let them study wherever they like in naija

Fake list south east have the best school in the world

Exousiang01:
Why these parents never want this hot brains studying anywhere in the East beats my imagination.

Disruption of academic calendars by some misguided illiterates is the reason.

;
;
;

Galay:
Fake list south east have the best school in the world

😁

You’re right..

Their *I’ll do one term* bigot built the best school in the world.. 😁

DrMB:
Where do Nigeria’s brightest UTME candidates dream of studying?
From Lagos to Ibadan, Abuja to Benin, the first-choice patterns of top scorers reveal shifting loyalties, regional dominance, and the quiet battle between federal giants and private disruptors. The data from 2023 to 2025 tells its own story, of tradition, prestige, and sudden surprises.
Which universities are winning the hearts of Nigeria’s best UTME scorers and which ones are slipping off the radar?



https://x.com/StatiSense/status/1946207568965070859

I am not surprised

University of Lagos(UNILAG) is the university of first choice for the best of the best.

UNILAG has for years had a unique and high standards of admission; from insisting on minimum age of 16 for admission when others accept under-age, to accepting only one sitting in your o'level a when other schools accept 'combined' o'level result and insisting on Further Mathematics for all Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics when others accept only General Mathematics.

In spite of these requirements that other universities don't use for admission, most of the smart and brilliant students choose UNILAG. Unfortunately, it is this high standard that has made some people envious of UNILAG because many don't make it to UNILAG. Many ended in other schools because of the high admission standards of UNILAG and they feel aggrieved almost for their whole life time.

If you want to earn the highly sought after UNILAG admission, study very very hard and aim to be on only the merit list. Pray hard too.

If you don't make the merit list for your chosen course, you will struggle with many others below the high UNILAG admission bar.

AFIT is Air Force Institute of Technology Kaduna.

https://afit.edu.ng/home/

If you torture data enough, it will confess. This is just apt.

Richtaiwo:
Even igbos don't want to go school in igboland.

I no get 3 characters to add.

Igbo this Igbo that from January to December, please take a small break from your bigotry

Some people claim there’s nothing in the South West, yet secretly they all wish to move there—because they know the region is ahead. That’s not just contradiction, it’s hypocrisy wrapped in deceit.

Exousiang01:
Why these parents never want this hot brains studying anywhere in the East beats my imagination.

Lmao
For obvious reasons 😂😂
18 more characters needed

Apc skeem where is SE? I didn't believe this statement at all

Even the average and the not so bright ones want SW....U wan make Ugm take away their parents joy?.... nothing surprising here at all😒

For the fact that the best in terms of enlightenment gravitate towards southwest ends the discussion of the best region to settle in nigeria .

Exousiang01:
Why these parents never want this hot brains studying anywhere in the East beats my imagination.

Have you considered the veracity of the data?

Most site gathering data with limited or available resources within their reach.

All these grammar and UNILAG is not among the first 1000 university in the world I mean 1000 not 100. Local champion indeed.
All Nigerian Universities need serious intervention, stop all these over hyping.

FreeStuffsNG:
I am not surprised

University of Lagos(UNILAG) is the university of first choice for the best of the best.

UNILAG has for years had a unique and high standards of admission; from insisting on minimum age of 16 for admission when others accept under-age, to accepting only one sitting in your o'level a when other schools accept 'combined' o'level result and insisting on Further Mathematics for all Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics when others accept only General Mathematics.

In spite of these requirements that other universities don't use for admission, most of the smart and brilliant students choose UNILAG. Unfortunately, it is this high standard that has made some people envious of UNILAG because many don't make it to UNILAG. Many ended in other schools because of the high admission standards of UNILAG and they feel aggrieved almost for their whole life time.

If you want to earn the highly sought after UNILAG admission, study very very hard and aim to be on only the merit list. If you don't make the merit list for your chosen course, you will struggle with many others below the high UNILAG admission bar.

The university of first choice and the nations pride. Great Akokike!

I suspect this list o. Why is UNILORIN not on the list - the better by Far University.

DrMB:
Where do Nigeria’s brightest UTME candidates dream of studying?
From Lagos to Ibadan, Abuja to Benin, the first-choice patterns of top scorers reveal shifting loyalties, regional dominance, and the quiet battle between federal giants and private disruptors. The data from 2023 to 2025 tells its own story, of tradition, prestige, and sudden surprises.
Which universities are winning the hearts of Nigeria’s best UTME scorers and which ones are slipping off the radar?



https://x.com/StatiSense/status/1946207568965070859

Unilag is their best wish that is to say Lagos lead others follow.

Exousiang01:
Why these parents never want this hot brains studying anywhere in the East beats my imagination.

If na you, you go gree send your children to school in the SE?

Who get this statisense sef with their one.week one trouble statistics

FreeStuffsNG:
I am not surprised

University of Lagos(UNILAG) is the university of first choice for the best of the best.

UNILAG has for years had a unique and high standards of admission; from insisting on minimum age of 16 for admission when others accept under-age, to accepting only one sitting in your o'level a when other schools accept 'combined' o'level result and insisting on Further Mathematics for all Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics when others accept only General Mathematics.

In spite of these requirements that other universities don't use for admission, most of the smart and brilliant students choose UNILAG. Unfortunately, it is this high standard that has made some people envious of UNILAG because many don't make it to UNILAG. Many ended in other schools because of the high admission standards of UNILAG and they feel aggrieved almost for their whole life time.

If you want to earn the highly sought after UNILAG admission, study very very hard and aim to be on only the merit list. If you don't make the merit list for your chosen course, you will struggle with many others below the high UNILAG admission bar.

How has where UTME top scorers chose to study becomes a criteria for rating universities? For all you know, it might be because it is the closest to where they live. If you need to rate universities, you need better criteria than where utme top scorers choose to study and if you are a unilag graduate and you don't know this, I am personally disappointed in the university that trained your mind like this.

Exousiang01:
Why these parents never want this hot brains studying anywhere in the East beats my imagination.

You should have guessed and others on this platform will guess too,but it might be due to insecurity couple with Monday sit at home.

CaptainFM1:
Have you considered the veracity of the data?

Most site gathering data with limited or available resources within their reach.

I wonder ooo... Most or these statistic springing up everywhere have nor solid base data to validate it's result.

It's no gainsaying, south west still remain the leading region in Nigeria when it comes to education generally.