Lagos State representative Danielle Adewusi has been crowned Miss Universe Nigeria 2026 after emerging as the winner of the national pageant’s grand finale in Lagos.
The final event took place on Sunday, September 27, at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, after weeks of activities involving the contestants, including advocacy projects, talent showcases, camp activities and stage performances. Adewusi emerged ahead of 19 other contestants to claim the national crown and secure the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the international Miss Universe competition.
According to the organisers, Adewusi impressed the judges throughout the competition with her confidence, intelligence, elegance and commitment to social impact before securing the crown after the final question-and-answer session.
Her victory places her in the spotlight not only as a beauty queen but also as a medical doctor and women’s health advocate whose work has focused on issues affecting women and girls.
Danielle Adewusi Combines Medicine With Women’s Health Advocacy
Before entering the pageant, Danielle Adewusi had already established herself in medicine and advocacy, having studied Medicine at King’s College London, where she earned an MBBS and a first-class BSc in Psychology. Her medical training also influenced her interest in women’s health, particularly after experiences during medical school that exposed her to some of the barriers women face when seeking healthcare.
Adewusi founded Scrub The Stigma, a women’s health organisation that works to challenge stigma surrounding women’s health while providing education and resources that can help women make informed decisions about their healthcare. The organisation’s work includes educational programmes, community activities and initiatives aimed at improving access to healthcare and empowering young women.
The advocacy project was also part of Adewusi’s campaign during the Miss Universe Nigeria competition. The official pageant profile described Scrub The Stigma as an initiative focused on transforming access to healthcare and education for women and girls.
For Adewusi, pageantry has provided another platform through which she can discuss issues surrounding women’s health. In an interview before the competition, she explained that she did not see medicine and pageantry as separate paths, but as different platforms that could help her pursue the same purpose of supporting women and girls.
Her journey to the crown also carries a significant family connection. Adewusi is the daughter of Tonia Okogbenin, who won Miss Universe Nigeria in 1991. Her victory therefore comes 35 years after her mother’s own success in the same competition, creating a notable mother-and-daughter pageant connection.
Adewusi Set to Represent Nigeria in Puerto Rico
Following her national victory, Adewusi will now prepare for the next stage of the competition as Nigeria’s representative at the 75th Miss Universe Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The international event is scheduled for November 24, 2026, where Adewusi will take the Nigerian title to an international audience. She is also expected to use the global platform to highlight Scrub The Stigma and its focus on women’s health education and advocacy.
Her emergence as Miss Universe Nigeria came after a competition that featured contestants from different parts of the country, with the finalists also competing through advocacy projects, talent presentations and other pageant activities.
Anita Osikhena of Edo State finished as first runner-up, while Myya Jones of Cross River State emerged as second runner-up. Oluwafunmibi Ajaja of Ekiti State and Melissa Toghanro of Delta State completed the remaining top-five positions.
For Adewusi, the new title now brings together several parts of her background, including medicine, public speaking, modelling and women’s health advocacy. Her upcoming appearance on the international stage will give her an opportunity to present both Nigeria and the cause she has built through Scrub The Stigma.
As she prepares for the Miss Universe Festival in Puerto Rico, Danielle Adewusi will move from the national pageant stage to an international competition, carrying with her a medical background, an established advocacy project and a family connection to the Miss Universe Nigeria crown.
