15-year-old Afolabi Olumide Ayodeji of Icons Comprehensive College, Ijapo Estate, Akure, Ondo State, has made national headlines by emerging as the highest scorer in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). With an astonishing total score of 370, Ayodeji has shattered a decade-long record, becoming the first student to achieve such a feat since the computer-based test (CBT) format was introduced in 2013.
According to data obtained from JAMB and corroborated by investigative reviews from reputable platforms such as Economic Confidential and Leadership, no candidate has crossed the 370 mark since JAMB transitioned to CBT. Ayodeji’s performance not only positions him as the academic face of 2025 but also rewrites the record books, marking the highest known UTME score in the digital testing era.
Afolabi Olumide Ayodeji’s exceptional score, revealed officially by JAMB, has stunned educators, stakeholders, and policy makers, renewing conversations around academic excellence in Nigeria’s basic and secondary education systems. His achievement is not merely a numerical triumph; it represents a beacon of hope amid concerns about falling standards and widespread examination malpractice that have plagued the UTME in recent years.
To appreciate the weight of Ayodeji’s achievement, a review of the highest JAMB scorers over the past 12 years is instructive. In 2013 and 2014, the UTME was still undergoing adaptation to the CBT model, and the highest score recorded in both years was 299—well below the 300 mark. These years signaled the initial struggles students faced in adapting to the new system.
The tide began to shift in 2015 and 2016, where candidates slowly adjusted to the new testing interface. However, even then, the highest scores remained in the lower 300s, with only a few standout performances. Notably, 2018 saw a remarkable leap with Galadima Zakari, an indigene of Borno State, attaining a formidable score of 364—the highest that year and the second-highest in the entire decade before Ayodeji’s recent score.
Two years later, in 2020, another significant mark was set by Maduafokwa Agnes from Anambra State, who emerged with a stellar score of 365. She was not alone in her brilliance that year. David Okwuchukwu Nwobi, also from Anambra State, closely followed with 363. Their achievements made 2020 one of the most outstanding years in recent UTME history, producing two of the top five scorers in a decade.
In 2022, Adebayo Eyimofe, a student from Ekiti State, made headlines by scoring 362, placing him fourth among the top scorers in the past ten years. These scores—Zakari’s 364 (2018), Maduafokwa’s 365 (2020), Nwobi’s 363 (2020), and Eyimofe’s 362 (2022)—were the only results that exceeded the 360 mark until Ayodeji’s record-breaking 370 emerged in 2025.
The 2023 UTME cycle was fraught with controversy. Mmesoma Joy Ejikeme, a 19-year-old candidate from Anambra, falsely claimed to have scored 362. However, following a JAMB investigation, her result was proven to be manipulated. The actual highest scorer was Umeh Nkechinyere, also from Anambra, with an official score of 360, as verified by JAMB.
Between 2013 and 2022, 56 UTME candidates were identified by the Economic Confidential Magazine as having scored an average of 290 and above. Of these, 16 scored between 290–339, while 40 scored between 340–363. The statistics underline the rarity of scores above 360, making Ayodeji’s 370 not only a historic feat but an outlier in the academic record of Nigerian candidates.
Gender analysis of the data between 2013 and 2022 further reveals a compelling pattern. Of the 56 top scorers identified, 71% were male students while 29% were female. This trend underscores the gender disparity in academic performance at the highest levels, although the achievements of Agnes Maduafokwa and Umeh Nkechinyere offer encouraging signs of female academic excellence.
Geographically, Anambra State has produced more high scorers than any other state within the last decade, including Agnes, David Nwobi, Mmesoma (despite her controversy), and Umeh. This trend could be attributed to the strong academic culture and investment in education in the southeastern region. Ondo State, with Ayodeji’s rise, now joins that elite circle.
The sharp increase in Ayodeji’s 370 score over the previous high of 365 is significant not just statistically but psychologically. It challenges the notion of a performance ceiling within the UTME and demonstrates what is possible when academic potential is matched with conducive learning environments and rigorous preparation.
Education analysts suggest Ayodeji’s performance could serve as a catalyst for policy revision. “This is the right time to reward merit and restructure the reward system for top performers in national examinations,” says Dr. Tosin Joshua, an education consultant. “Government and corporate stakeholders must act now to ensure young minds like Afolabi’s are encouraged and empowered.”
Experts also stress that Ayodeji’s story highlights the need for more robust support systems at secondary school levels. His school, Icons Comprehensive College, now stands as a case study in academic excellence, with educators and school heads expected to learn from its methodology and teaching standards.
With over 1.9 million candidates registering for the 2025 UTME, Ayodeji’s top score places him at the 99.999th percentile—a statistical marvel. His score breakdown, though yet to be officially disclosed, is rumored to include a perfect 100 in Mathematics and exceptionally high marks in Physics, Chemistry, and English Language, reflecting his strong STEM orientation.
Afolabi Olumide Ayodeji’s story transcends mere statistics. It is a testament to what Nigeria’s educational future could look like with intentional investment, student-focused reforms, and recognition of talent. His name, now etched in JAMB’s hall of fame, symbolizes hope, brilliance, and the dawn of a new era in Nigerian education.
