Rite Foods Limited and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board have announced plans to celebrate seven Nigerian undergraduates with ₦5 million each at the Maiden Academic Excellence Recognition Award Ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday, 30 June 2026, in Lagos.

The award recipients were identified through a transparent, merit based selection process managed by JAMB, with performance in both the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Post UTME or institutional screening exercises serving as the basis for selection. Six awardees represent the six geopolitical zones of the country, and a seventh award recognises the highest performing admitted candidate living with a disability.

The University of Lagos is the only institution with two recipients at this inaugural edition, producing both the South West Zonal Winner and the winner of the disability category award. The zonal winners are as follows:

  • South West: University of Lagos
  • South South: University of Uyo
  • South East: Federal University of Technology, Owerri
  • North West: Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia
  • North East: University of Maiduguri
  • North Central: Federal University of Technology, Minna
  • Disability Category: University of Lagos

Rite Foods Limited, which is sponsoring the ceremony, stated that the initiative reflects a shared commitment with JAMB to reward merit and encourage academic pursuit among young Nigerians.

The event is billed to attract 300 guests drawn from government, academia, the corporate sector and Nigeria's broader education community. Among the expected attendees are the Minister of Education, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, vice chancellors from the award recipients' universities, vice chancellors of Lagos State universities, and the executive secretaries of the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education. Education stakeholders, development partners, corporate leaders, students and media representatives are also expected at the ceremony.

The recognition marks the first time JAMB and Rite Foods have jointly staged an award of this scale, positioning it as a potential annual fixture in Nigeria's academic calendar.