This was disclosed at the ongoing policy meeting organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja on Monday.
According to the statistics, LASU recorded 84,426 applications, representing 3.76 per cent of the total number of applications submitted nationwide by candidates.
University of Lagos followed closely with 78,240 applications, while Obafemi Awolowo University ranked third with 60,370 applications.
University of Ibadan placed fourth with 58,895 applications, ahead of University of Benin, which recorded 55,425 applications.
Nnamdi Azikiwe University garnered 54,085 applications to occupy sixth position, while the University of Ilorin came seventh with 52,514 applications.
The University of Nigeria recorded 51,660 applications, while Federal University Oye-Ekiti and University of Port Harcourt completed the top 10 with 48,272 and 48,199 applications, respectively.
This is the second consecutive year LASU will top the list of most preferred institutions in Nigeria. In 2025, LASU emerged as the most preferred university, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) ranked with 58,645 applicants, while UNILORIN dropped to third place with 56,758 applicants.
UNILORIN had long maintained its appeal among Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates, largely due to its uninterrupted academic calendar and minimal history of industrial action.
These factors set the university apart from other public tertiary institutions for applicants seeking higher education in the country.
In 2024, it topped the list of the most sought-after universities in the country for the 10th consecutive year.
It was followed by the University of Lagos in second place, the Lagos State University in third place, and the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, in fourth place.
Others are the University of Benin, 5th; University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 6th; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 7th; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, 8th; Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, 9th; and the University of Ibadan, 10th.
FULL LIST OF MOST PREFERRED UNIVERSITIES IN 2026
1. Lagos State University — 84,426
2. University of Lagos — 78,240
3. Obafemi Awolowo University — 60,370
4. University of Ibadan — 58,895
5. University of Benin — 55,425
6. Nnamdi Azikiwe University — 54,085
7. University of Ilorin — 52,514
8. University of Nigeria, Nsukka — 51,660
9. Federal University Oye-Ekiti — 48,272
10. University of Port Harcourt — 48,199