Danielle Adewusi, the new Miss Universe Nigeria 2026, did not come to the competition without a background beyond pageantry, as the medical doctor and women’s health advocate.
Five things to know about the new queen:
1. She is a doctor.
Adewusi qualified in Medicine at King’s College London, where she also gained a first class BSc in Psychology.
She told our correspondent in August, before the competition, that her experience in medical school influenced her interest in the combination of medicine and women’s health activism, The PUNCH writes.
An Obstetrics and Gynaecology rotation helped her understand the hurdles women experience in getting healthcare and inspired her to go beyond treating individual patients, she added.
2. Her mom was also Miss Universe Nigeria.
Adewusi’s win is the latest in a family pageant tradition that was started by her mother, Tonia Okogbenin, who won the Miss Universe Nigeria title in 1991.
Speaking to our correspondent ahead of the competition, Adewusi revealed pageantry was not her primary priority despite growing up with appreciation for it due to her mother.
“My priority was to do well at school, to study Medicine and to become a doctor,” she stated.
She later learned that pageantry could combine her interests in medicine, women’s health activism, modelling and public speaking.
3. She has competed in pageants previously
This is not Adewusi’s first time to participate in a pageant.
She previously participated at Miss Universe Great Britain in 2023, when she placed in the Top Five.
“I’ve always wanted to compete at Miss Universe Nigeria,” Adewusi told our correspondent, “but I waited till I had attained the milestones in my medical career and my advocacy work.
4. She started Scrub The Stigma.
Adewusi is founder of Scrub The Stigma, a women’s health organization that focuses on education and advocacy in Nigeria and the UK.
The organization runs health education programs like Educate Lagos and Educate Edo, where young people are educated about menstrual health and wellbeing.
Her Miss Universe Nigeria advocacy effort also focused on women’s health. She hopes to leverage her new platform to broaden discussions on women’s health care and increase access to information.
Outreach: Danielle Adewusi
5. Medicine and pageantry are the same mission for her
A beauty queen doesn’t imply putting your medical job or your activism on the back burner’, Adewusi said.
Her motivation for entering the competition was, “For me medicine and pageantry are not separate worlds. “These are just different platforms for me to do the same thing: make a meaningful difference in the lives of women and girls.
She also previously served as a United Nations Women UK representative to the Commission on the Status of Women, where she said she got a better awareness of difficulties affecting women in different nations.
Adewusi will now represent Nigeria at the 75th Miss Universe Festival in San Juan, Puerto Rico on November 24 as Miss Universe Nigeria 2026.
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