Lagos State representative Danielle Adewusi has emerged as Miss Universe Nigeria 2026 after prevailing over 19 other contestants at the pageant’s grand finale in Lagos.
The crowning took place on Sunday at the Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, following weeks of intensive camp activities, advocacy projects, talent displays, and stage performances. President of the Silverbird Group and National Director of Miss Universe Nigeria, Guy Murray-Bruce, crowned Adewusi at the conclusion of the event.
According to organiser Silverbird, Adewusi captivated the panel of judges with her “confidence, intelligence, elegance and commitment to social impact” before sealing her victory in the final question-and-answer segment. As the new titleholder, she is set to represent Nigeria at the 75th Miss Universe Festival on 24 November in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she will take her women’s health advocacy project, “Scrub the Stigma”, to an international audience.
Following the narrowing of the field to a Top 10 comprising representatives from Lagos, Edo, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Abuja, Abia, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Ebonyi, the judges decided the final placements. Edo representative Anita Osikhena finished as first runner-up, whilst Cross River’s Myya Jones secured second runner-up after gaining the highest number of votes in the fast-track voting process to earn an automatic Top Five spot. Ekiti’s Oluwafunmibi Ajaja and Delta’s Melissa Toghanro finished as third and fourth runners-up respectively, with Toghanro also named as Nigeria’s representative for Miss Supranational.
Special awards were presented throughout the evening, with Edo’s Osikhena standing out as one of the major beneficiaries. She claimed the Pitch Your Dream Competition, earning ₦1 million alongside a two-night all-expenses-paid resort stay, as well as the Best Advocacy Project award, which carried a ₦500,000 prize and a year’s supply of food products. Other category winners included Miss Akwa Ibom for Most Photogenic, Miss Ekiti for Miss Amity, Miss Edo for Best Evening Dress, Miss Oyo for Top Model, Miss Osun for Best National Costume, and Miss Ogun for Best Talent.