Ahmadu Bello University was awarded N40 million nominal prize despite being the 1st place winner of this year’s JAMB National Tertiary Admissions Performance – Merit Awards (NATAP-M).
A statement from the public affairs directorate office of the VC said the university was awarded the prize at the 6th edition of the NATAP-M awards ceremony held in Abuja on Monday, 11th May, 2026.
Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, presented the 1st place winner award to Ahmadu Bello University which was received by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed.
ABU emerged as the “best institution” with an aggregate of six points in the overall category, comprising all five elements of the mega award.
This is the second time in two years the university is winning the prestigious award.
But this time the institution went home with a nominal prize of N40 million as against N500 million awarded to the university when it clinched the 1st position last year.
Surprisingly, a runner-up institution with an aggregate of five points in the overall category, was awarded a N500 million prize.
ABU was last year’s winner of the award as the best institution for which it was awarded a prize of N500 million.
Conversely, if an institution, for example, had within five years emerged the 1st place winner, only a token of N40 million will be awarded to such institution. This is as clearly spelt out in the JAMB NATAP awards criteria.
The prize is essentially to ensure that the monetary benefit attached to the award is utilized by winning institutions in ways that would improve the service delivery of the mandate of such institutions.
This is particularly in the areas of teaching, assessment, research, learning, sports development, environmental matters, and knowledge dissemination.
JAMB also approved that each winner should submit a project which execution by the institution is not more than the award and on which it would be expanded.
Meanwhile, it was a thing of joy for staff, students, alumni, key stakeholders, and many friends of the university shortly after ABU was last week named the best institution for the second time in two years.
Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, described the award as a testament to the institution’s leadership quality and academic excellence.
Prof Ahmed, who made the remark at the 2025 ABU staff reward and recognition ceremony, said the award was also as a result of its institutional discipline and teamwork that defined the university community.
“This achievement belongs to all of us. It reinforces our position as a university committed to excellence and national relevance”, Ahmed also said.
The Vice-Chancellor, who stressed that ABU would continue to maintain its position as a leading centre of academic excellence, congratulated every staff member for contributing to this remarkable feat.