By Gabriella Ogbu
The University of Ilorin has emerged as the top winner of the fourth edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Awards (NATAP-M Awards) for the academic years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023.
According to Kunle Akogun, the university’s director of corporate affairs, the prize was introduced by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
“For the feat, which was the first of its kind won by any university, the university received a princely sum of N500 million.”
Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the Registrar of JAMB, revealed the winners at the Board’s 2024 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions.
The Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, presented the award to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, who was accompanied by dignitaries such as the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, and a host of others.
In his acceptance address, Professor Egbewole thanked JAMB for the honor to his university.
He stated that the institution will not rest on its laurels and that the funds raised will be wisely spent.
UNILORIN was named the best institution with a total of 12 points in the overall category, which included all five elements of the NATAP-M Awards.
The categories are: The Institution of First Choice for Candidates to Nigeria’s Tertiary Institutions; The Most National Institution in Admissions; The Most Improved Institution in Gender Balance; The Institution with the Highest Number of International Students in Admission; and The Most Compliant Institution in Adherence to Admissions Guidelines.
Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria finished second with an aggregate of 11 points in the overall category, which included all five categories, and received a prize of N75 million.
Borno State University in Maiduguri finished third with nine points and won a cash reward of N50 million.
In addition, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, emerged as the best Polytechnic with 12 points and a N50 million reward at the sectoral awards, while Federal College of Education, Zaria, emerged as the best College of Education with 11 points and a N50 million prize.
For Innovation Enterprise Institutions, the PEFTI Film Institute in Lagos won with six points and a N10 million cash reward.
In his remarks, JAMB Registrar Professor Is-haq Oloyede stated that the overall award value has been enhanced to N750 million to help winners achieve meaningful results with the money.
He stated that any institution that emerged as the overall winner would be unable to win it again for another five years in order for the reward to spread among Nigerian institutions and have the desired impact.
Professor Oloyede further stated that this year, the Board remitted nearly N3.5 billion to the Federal Government and set aside N750 million for the winning institutions.
