Daniel Olukoya was born in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria to Mr. Olukoya, a police officer and Mrs. Olukoya, a trader. He attended St. John's CAC Primary School, in
Akure. Later when his family relocated to
Lagos, he was enrolled at St. Jude's Primary school,
Ebute Metta, from which he graduated. Olukoya then proceeded to Methodist Boys' High School (MBHS), Broad Street, Lagos. In 1976, Olukoya was awarded a scholarship into the
University of Lagos (UNILAG) to study
microbiology. He graduated from UNILAG with a first-class degree in microbiology. He was the first person to have achieved a first-class in the course at the university and his G.P.A is still the highest recorded so far (as of February 2010) in that department. Soon after graduation, he won a scholarship to have his PhD programme degree in
molecular genetics at the
University of Reading, United Kingdom. Olukoya earned his PhD in 3 years and then came back to Nigeria. ==Scientific career==