The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the list of the most sought-after institutions in Nigeria for 2025, with Lagos State University (LASU), University of Lagos (UNILAG), and University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) taking the top spots.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja during the 2025 policy meeting on admissions into tertiary institutions.

The top five universities are:
Lagos State University (LASU) with 70,080 applicants, University of Lagos (UNILAG) with 58,645 applicants, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) with 56,758 applicants, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) with 52,108 applicants, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK) with 51,487 applicants.
Apart from being the 5th most-sought after institution in Nigeria, the school equally emerged the most sought-after university in the Southeast and South-South region.
This is an improvement in the university’s ranking, considering it was 8th in 2021 with over 43,000 applicants, 9th in 2022 with about 59,000 candidates, and 8th in 2023. In 2024, UNIZIK was ranked 5th with 54,000 applicants.
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, situated in Awka, the Anambra State capital, with additional campuses in Nnewi and Agulu, is known for its emphasis on research, with several research centers contributing to societal development. The university offers a diverse range of programs in fields such as Medicine, Law, Engineering, and Social Sciences.