Lagos State University has emerged as the most preferred institution among candidates in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination first-choice applications, according to statistics released at the policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in Abuja on Monday, where stakeholders also fixed October 31, 2026, as the deadline for public university admissions nationwide.
Statistics presented during the meeting showed that LASU recorded 84,426 first-choice applications, representing 3.76 per cent of the total applications submitted by candidates across the country.
University of Lagos followed closely with 78,240 applications, while Obafemi Awolowo University ranked third with 60,370 applications.
University of Ibadan came fourth with 58,895 applications, ahead of University of Benin, which recorded 55,425 applications.
Nnamdi Azikiwe University occupied the sixth position with 54,085 applications, while University of Ilorin followed with 52,514 applications.
Others on the top 10 list include University of Nigeria with 51,660 applications, Federal University Oye-Ekiti with 48,272 applications, and University of Port Harcourt with 48,199 applications.
The statistics also highlighted changing admission trends among candidates, with LASU climbing to the top position despite not featuring among the top 10 most preferred universities in some previous admission cycles.
Meanwhile, stakeholders at the policy meeting agreed on uniform timelines for the completion of admissions into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Under the resolutions reached at the meeting, all public universities are expected to conclude their admission exercises on or before October 31, 2026, while private universities have until November 30, 2026, to complete admissions.
Polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education are expected to conclude their admissions not later than December 31, 2026.
The annual policy meeting, attended by vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, and other education stakeholders, focused on streamlining admission processes and ensuring greater uniformity in admission timelines across tertiary institutions nationwide.
The meeting also reviewed admission trends, institutional preferences among candidates, and measures aimed at improving transparency and efficiency within Nigeria’s tertiary admission system.
