16-year-old Daniella tops 2026 JAMB with 372, shares success story

Nigeria has produced a new academic standout as Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin emerged the highest scorer in the 2026 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination with an impressive 372 out of 400.

Her performance breakdown reflects exceptional results in key subjects: English Language (98), Chemistry (98), Physics (94), and Biology (82). This outstanding achievement places her among the top-performing UTME candidates in recent years, with her aspiration set on studying Medicine and Surgery.
Daniella described her success as the result of discipline, consistency, and well-structured preparation. According to her, focused learning, resilience, and strong determination were key factors that guided her throughout her study period.
The news of her achievement has generated widespread admiration across social media and educational circles, where she is being celebrated as a symbol of academic excellence.
She comes from a supportive family background. Her father, Mr. Owoeye Taiwo Joseph, is an administrator, while her mother, Dr. Owoeye Taiwo Felicia, is an academic researcher. The family traces its roots to Ekiti and Kwara States respectively.
Daniella credited her parents for playing a major role in her success through constant encouragement, moral support, prayers, and provision of learning resources during her preparation.
An alumna of EFVP Wisdom Spring Model School, she built a strong academic foundation early in life. During her UTME preparation, she adopted a topic-by-topic study method alongside extensive practice with past questions.
She also made use of several digital learning platforms such as JAMB Series Remix, Prep50, CBT practice tools, online materials, and DailyEd Online Tutorials, which helped her become familiar with computer-based testing formats.
Describing her study routine, she revealed that she often studied for long hours daily, including night sessions that ran from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Despite the intensity, she maintained balance through breaks, rest, prayer, and motivation.
She also sacrificed leisure activities, including reduced social media usage and entertainment, to remain fully focused on her academic goals.
While she faced challenges in some topics, she overcame them through consistent revision, mentorship, and repeated practice of past questions. She emphasized understanding concepts deeply rather than memorizing them, which strengthened her mastery across subjects.
Beyond academics, Daniella expressed interest in Medicine and Surgery, which she considers her lifelong ambition. She also enjoys singing, reading novels, watching films, playing educational games, and engaging in personal development activities that helped her maintain balance during preparation.