JAMB, Rite foods to reward seven top UTME performers with N5m each

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), in partnership with Rite Foods Limited, will on Tuesday host the maiden Academic Excellence Recognition Award Ceremony in Lagos, where seven exceptional Nigerian students will each receive N5 million for outstanding performance during the 2025 admission exercise.

The initiative, sponsored by Rite Foods Limited, is aimed at recognising academic excellence, rewarding merit and encouraging young Nigerians to strive for educational achievement.

According to a statement signed by Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s spokesperson, the award recipients distinguished themselves through exceptional performances in both the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the Post-UTME or institutional screening exercises conducted by their respective universities.

“the ceremony, each of the seven award recipients will receive N5 million in recognition of their exceptional performance in both the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the respective Post-UTME or institutional screening exercises conducted by their admitting Universities.

“The seven awardees emerged through a rigorous, transparent and merit-based selection process coordinated by JAMB. Six winners represent the six geopolitical zones of the country, while the seventh award recognises the highest-performing admitted candidate living with a disability,” the statement read

Benjamin said the seven winners emerged through a rigorous, transparent and merit-based selection process coordinated by JAMB.

Six of the awardees represent the country’s six geopolitical zones, while the seventh award will be presented to the highest-performing admitted candidate living with a disability.

The winning institutions are the University of Lagos for the South-West, the University of Uyo for the South-South, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri for the South-East, the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia for the North-West, the University of Maiduguri for the North-East and the Federal University of Technology, Minna for the North-Central.

The candidate recognised under the disability category also hails from the University of Lagos, making the institution the only university to produce two award recipients in the maiden edition of the programme.

JAMB said the ceremony is expected to attract more than 300 distinguished guests drawn from Nigeria’s education sector, government, academia and the corporate community.

Expected attendees include the Minister of Education, Is-haq Oloyede, JAMB Registrar, vice-chancellors of the award-winning universities, vice-chancellors of universities in Lagos State, executive secretaries and chief executives of key education regulatory agencies, including the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

Other participants will include principal officers of tertiary institutions, education stakeholders, development partners, corporate leaders, students and members of the media.

JAMB said the awards reflect its commitment, alongside Rite Foods Limited, to fostering a culture of excellence and celebrating students whose achievements exemplify the highest standards of academic merit.