Tag: JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday said it will commence the screening for over 500 exceptional candidates below 16 years of age seeking admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session between September 22 and 26.

The board said the screening would be done by a special technical committee it set up.

The board stated that three venues have been selected for the screening: Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri, Imo state.

Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said these were the resolutions reached during a virtual meeting of members on Wednesday.

He said Lagos will host 397 candidates, Owerri 136, and Abuja 66.

Oloyede disclosed that of 41,027 underage candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), more than 40,000 did not scale the first hurdle.

He explained that the screening is to ensure that only exceptional and well-prepared underage candidates gain admission for the 2025/2026 session.

“People have been doing it in other parts of the world. We are not reinventing the wheel,” he said.

During the meeting, a subcommittee chaired by Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, a former Minister of Sports and a renowned expert in special education, presented its report on the planned assessment, stating that candidates will face subject-specific tests followed by a brief oral interview.

The committee also resolved to request result details from the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to verify the eligibility of some shortlisted candidates before they appear for interviews.

Participants in the virtual meeting included heads of tertiary institutions, government agencies, civil society representatives, members of the Nigerian Academy of Education, and the principal of Federal Government Gifted Academy, Suleja.

Recall that of the 1.955 million candidates who sat for this year’s UTME nationwide, 599 scored above 300 but fell below the minimum admission age of 16, prompting the creation of the screening committee.

 The policy aligns with the Federal Ministry of Education’s directive setting 16 as the minimum entry age for tertiary institutions.

Read Also: Admissions: JAMB lists conditions for screening under-16 UTME candidates

The initiative is designed to ensure that candidates admitted are mentally and psychologically prepared for the demands of higher education.

Four universities — the Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Jos; and Osun State University — have already informed JAMB that they will not admit underage candidates under any circumstances.

JAMB said the policy will balance academic excellence with cognitive maturity, prevent age falsification, and protect young candidates from undue parental pressure.

The board said that to qualify for consideration, under-16 candidates must have a minimum UTME score of 320 out of 400 (80%), a post-UTME score of at least 80%, and a minimum of 80% in a single sitting of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) or National Examinations Council (NECO), amounting to 24 points out of 30.

• Examination body rules out WAEC, NECO results combination

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has listed the conditions that will make it screen exceptional Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates below the age of 16 years for the 2025/2026 admissions.

The board explained that to qualify for consideration, under-16 candidates must have a minimum UTME score of 320 out of 400 (80%), a post-UTME score of at least 80%, and a minimum of 80% in a single sitting of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) or National Examinations Council (NECO), amounting to 24 points out of 30.

The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, listed the conditions during a virtual meeting with vice chancellors and heads of admissions yesterday in Abuja.

Oloyede said the examination board would no longer tolerate the “academic abuse” of pushing psychologically and emotionally unprepared children into the rigours of university life.

The listing of the conditions followed the decision of the Federal Government to peg the official minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions at 16 years, with exceptions for high-performing candidates below 16 years. 

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who presented the policy at the 2025 policy meeting of JAMB, said it aims to balance cognitive maturity and academic preparedness, as well as curb the growing trend of underage candidates in Nigerian universities.

Reaffirming 16 years as the minimum entry age for tertiary education, Oloyede said underage candidates would only be considered on clearly proven grounds of exceptional academic performance.

“We are not saying no child under 16 will be admitted, but they must pass through a rigorous screening process that confirms they are truly gifted. This policy is not just about age; it’s about maturity, capacity, and long-term well-being,” he said.

The JAMB registrar also ruled out the combination of results from two different exam bodies, such as combining WAEC and NECO results for such a category of candidates.

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He added that science students must include Mathematics in their top subjects, while arts students must include English.

Oloyede urged relevant institutions to assess all under-16 candidates through a dedicated post-UTME process, even if the school has suspended such a process for the general admission population.

He stressed that JAMB would collate the academic records and forward only those who meet all benchmarks for further screening.

Also, JAMB has inaugurated a 23-man National Committee on Underage Admission, chaired by Oloyede, to screen underage candidates in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri.

The board also announced the introduction of a fourth layer of assessment that includes affective and psychomotor evaluations, areas previously overlooked in the admissions process.

A subcommittee of education experts was also set up to design the screening template that would ensure the emotional and psychological preparedness of the candidates.

The committee, chaired by a former Minister of Sports and a renowned expert in special education, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, was given one week to submit its framework, ahead of the screening of candidates in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri.

“We have decided that between now and mid-September, the candidates, out of the 599, who will scale the eventual order will be announced. And their school search will be weighed. Of course, they have to score 80 per cent in the school search.

“They will write the post-UTME independently. The institutions will submit, latest by September 16. They will submit the scores of the post-UTME, and anybody who scores below 80 per cent is already out of it.

“Then the panel of experts that will consider them will sit in Abuja, Lagos, and Oweri. So, these are the decisions we have taken, and we are emphasising to parents not to be desperate. It’s because we must allow these children to mature, or to show what they are made of. We are more afraid of parents than even the young ones,” he said.

Oloyede announced that out of the over 38,000 underage candidates who applied for admission, only 599 scored 320 and above in the UTME, justifying the need for a tight filter.

“These are the only ones qualified for possible waiver consideration. Even they are not guaranteed admission unless cleared by our multi-layered screening system,” he said.

Oloyede said JAMB has removed all under-16 candidates from its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), and that institutions willing to admit them must obtain the board’s approval or face sanctions.

The JAMB registrar also announced that at least four universities have written to the board, stressing that they would not admit underage candidates under any circumstances.

The universities include the Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Jos; and Osun State University.

He advised affected candidates to select alternative institutions that are open to JAMB-cleared exceptional applicants.

The registrar blamed poor policy implementation and cultural pressures for the prevalence of underage candidates.

He cited issues such as early enrollment in primary school, unofficial elimination of Primary Six in many states, proliferation of ‘miracle’ tutorial centres, and parents seeking social validation through their children’s premature academic milestones as factors fueling underage applications.

“Many parents use their children’s academic progression to boost their own image in society. It’s a toxic culture that sacrifices the child’s psychological development,” Oloyede said.

He urged institutions to cooperate fully with the new policy, stressing that the goal is to protect students and safeguard academic standards.

“This is not about JAMB. It is about the future of our children and the integrity of our education system,” he added.

…rules out the combination of WAEC, NECO results

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday listed conditions for screening of exceptional Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates, who are still under the age of 16 years, for 2025/2026 admissions.

The board said that to qualify for consideration, under-16 candidates must have a minimum UTME score of 320 out of 400 (80%), a post-UTME score of at least 80%, and a minimum of 80% in a single sitting of the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) or National Examinations Council (NECO), amounting to 24 points out of 30.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, rolled out the measures during a virtual meeting with Vice-Chancellors and Heads of Admissions on Wednesday in Abuja.

Oloyede said the Board would no longer tolerate the “academic abuse” of pushing psychologically and emotionally unprepared children into the rigours of university life.

The conditions followed the decision of the Federal Government to peg the official minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions at 16 years, with exceptions for high-performing candidates under 16. 

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who presented the policy at the 2025 policy meeting of JAMB, said it aims to balance cognitive maturity and academic preparedness and curb the growing trend of underage candidates in Nigerian universities.

While reaffirming 16 years as the minimum entry age for tertiary education, Oloyede on Wednesday said underage candidates would only be considered on clearly proven grounds of exceptional academic brilliance.

Read Also: JAMB flays indiscriminate award of honorary degrees

“We are not saying no child under 16 will be admitted, but they must pass through a rigorous screening process that confirms they are truly gifted. This policy is not just about age; it’s about maturity, capacity, and long-term well-being,” he said.

Oloyede also ruled out the combination of results from two different exam bodies, such as mixing WAEC and NECO results for such a category of candidates, adding that science students must include mathematics in their top subjects, while arts students must include English.

He urged relevant institutions to assess all under-16 candidates through a dedicated post-UTME, even if the school has suspended such a process for the general admission population.

Oloyede said that JAMB will then collate the academic records and forward only those who meet all benchmarks for further screening.

Meanwhile, JAMB has also inaugurated a 23-man National Committee on Underage Admission, chaired by its Registrar, Oloyede, to carry out the screening of the underage candidates in Abuja, Lagos and Owerri.

The board also announced the introduction of a fourth layer of assessment that includes affective and psychomotor evaluations, areas previously overlooked in the admissions process.

A subcommittee of education experts was also set up to design the screening template to ensure the emotional and psychological preparedness of the candidates.

The committee, chaired by Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, a former Minister of Sports and a renowned expert in special education, has been given one week to submit its framework, while the actual screening of candidates will take place in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri.

“We have decided that between now and mid-September, the candidates, out of the 599, who will scale the eventual order will be announced. And their school search will be weighed. Of course, they have to score 80 per cent in the school search.

“They will write post-UTME independently. The institutions will submit, by the 16th of September, they will submit the scores of the post-UTME, and anybody who is below 80 is already out of it.

“Then the panel of experts that will consider them, that will sit in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri. So these are the decisions we have taken, and we are emphasising to parents not to be desperate, because these children, we must allow them to mature, or to show what they are made of. Parents, we are more afraid of parents than even the young ones themselves,” he said.

Oloyede disclosed that out of the over 38,000 underage candidates who applied for admission, only 599 scored 320 and above in UTME, justifying the need for a tight filter.

“These are the only ones qualified for possible waiver consideration. And even they are not guaranteed admission unless cleared by our multi-layered screening system,” he said.

He noted that JAMB has already removed all under-16 candidates from its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), and institutions willing to admit them must obtain JAMB’s approval or face sanctions.

The JAMB boss also announced that at least four universities have written to JAMB, stating categorically that they will not admit underage candidates under any circumstances.

The universities include the Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; University of Jos; and Osun State University.

He advised affected candidates to select alternative institutions that are open to JAMB-cleared exceptional applicants.

The Registrar blamed poor policy implementation and cultural pressures for the prevalence of underage candidates.

He cited issues such as early enrollment in primary school, unofficial elimination of Primary Six in many states, proliferation of ‘miracle’ tutorial centres, and parents seeking social validation through their children’s premature academic milestones as factors fueling underage applications.

“Many parents use their children’s academic progression to boost their own image in society. It’s a toxic culture that sacrifices the child’s psychological development,” Oloyede said.

He urged institutions to cooperate fully with the new policy, stressing that the goal is to protect students and safeguard academic standards.

“This is not about JAMB. It is about the future of our children and the integrity of our education system,” he added.

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has named PEFTI the ‘‘Best Innovation Enterprise Institution in Nigeria”, for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions, at the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Awards (NATAP-M), at Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.

The recognition underscores PEFTI’s commitment to delivering world-class higher education and driving innovation through practical, industry-driven approach. It has produced talented professionals in film, television, music, media, and creative arts.

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Abiola Adenuga, PEFTI’s registrar, said: “This award honours PEFTI’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and creative empowerment. It motivates PEFTI, and other institutions, to excel in education, and industry impact.”

PEFTI offers National Diploma in Film and Television Production, Performing and Media Arts, and Music Technology, and has added ND programmes in Business Administration, Mass Communication, Fashion Design and Clothing Technology, and Multimedia Technology.

The 1996 Set of Abadina College Old Students Association (ACOSA) has rewarded the top 10 high-scoring students in the just concluded Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Examinations (JAMB) with the sum of N400. 000

While presenting the cash rewards to the students inside their alma mater, the representatives of the 1996 set, Mrs Folake Oketola and Rashidat Oyinlola, tasked the students to always aim higher as they pursue their dreams through tertiary education.

According to the duo, the set hurriedly arranged to ensure that students who performed well in their studies were encouraged to do more as a way of encouraging others to learn to embrace being the best.

The duo counselled the students to be wary of bad influence from friends, which can derail them from reaching their life goals, praying that with greater dedication and seriousness, the sky would be their stepping stone.

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“You are the best, and you have made our school proud. Don’t be the victim of bad friends. Be good role models. We appreciate your efforts, and that is why we said we should extend this token to you so that you will know that we are watching. Society is watching. You will get more awards as long as you continue to stand out as the best among your equals.”

While responding, the principal of Abadina College Senior School, University of Ibadan, Mrs Esther Rolayo Adegbayo, thanked the 1996 set for encouraging excellence with the monetary rewards.

According to her, “Abadina is known for greatness and service. Those who graduated from this school about 29 years ago have deemed it fit to give back and invest in you. In 30 years, you will also come back to give back to the school. If you win the World Cup, you win it for yourself first, then the family and community can identify with you.

“You have won one today, and the cash reward has come to you. The honour for doing well in your exams comes to you. We appreciate the 1996 set for this gesture once again and pray that you will do more as your set plans the 30th anniversary of your graduation from Abadina next year”

The Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Emeritus Professor Is’haq Oloyede, yesterday said the high rate of honorary degrees being awarded by universities across the country has eroded their worth.

He berated some Nigerian universities for allegedly presenting honorary degrees and awards indiscriminately to individuals both within and outside the country.

Oloyede spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the investiture ceremony of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), where 65 distinguished Nigerians were honoured for their contributions to the university and other areas of society. The event was a part of the institution’s ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations.

“I was part of the team then, during my time as the VC who said that the University of Ilorin should not be part of the maddening crowd of awarding honorary degrees. You would see that the University of Ilorin would not just award degrees the way others do. I cannot remember any in the last 20 years, just because we want to be different,” he said.

The JAMB registrar praised the university’s vice chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), for the innovative idea.

He pledged, on behalf of other awardees, that they would continue to serve the university, the nation and humanity.

“Let’s commend the VC with the innovation of doing it differently with merit and dignity. I don’t know of any degree that you’ll give any of these distinguished people here that would make the kind of impact that we’ve made today.

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“It’s a creative thinking to come up with this without going the way of indiscriminate honorary awards. Some people even send their drivers to represent them to pick up the awards just because it has become worthless.

“We thank the university for this idea. And from us, we say this is a big honour, and we pledge to continue to serve this university, this nation and humanity at large,” Oloyede said.

Also, Prof. Egbewole said each of the honourees, in three categories, included 50 ambassadors, 10 alumni, and two for excellence.

The VC explained that the ambassadors were nominated by their faculties and the nominations were validated by the Centre for Advancement.

“These individuals have consistently demonstrated loyalty to the values of our university and have given back meaningfully, whether through mentorship, resources, or collaboration. Some honorees were added in recognition of their extraordinary acts of generosity and support, reaffirming the saying that one good turn deserves another.”

A former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, has reached an agreement with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to settle the alleged N5.2 billion fraud case filed against him out of court.

Ojerinde’s lawyer, Eteya Ogana, announced this yesterday before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, shortly after the matter was called.

Ogana said, though the matter was adjourned for the defence to open its case yesterday, he stated that there was a new development regarding the matter.

“There is a development; an intervention which parties are exploring to see if the matter could be administratively settled,” he said.

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The lawyer noted given the development, the parties required a long date after vacation “to enable us to report same”.

“That is our humble application,” he added.

ICPC’s counsel, Lesie Iheduru, also corroborated Ogana’s remark.

“The position stated by the learned counsel for defence is absolutely correct,” he said.

The prosecution lawyer said talks were ongoing on the reconciliation move.

“Therefore, we are not opposed to adjournment,” he said.

The Federal Government yesterday announced 16 years as the age into tertiary institutions in the country.

It consequently directed tertiary institutions to comply with the new age requirement beginning from the 2025/2026 admission session.

Also, Vice–Chancellors adopted a 150 cut-off mark for the 2025/2026 admission by universities and 100 for  Polytechnics and Colleges of Education(CoEs). However,   Colleges of Nursing cut-off is  140. 

These decisions were announced during a policy meeting for 2025/2026 admissions by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in Abuja yesterday.

The age limit was a subject of controversy in last year’s policy meeting when the then  Education Minister Tahir Mamman said it was 18 years.

That policy was expected to take effect in this year’s admission.

  But during the JAMB policy meeting,  Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced that the government has adopted 16 years as a new age limit.

Alausa, who chaired the policy meeting, warned that any admission into tertiary institutions conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System would be deemed illegal.

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He also cautioned universities, polytechnics, and COEs against illegal admission of applicants.

His words: “Any admission conducted outside CAPS, regardless of its intentions, is illegal. Both institutions and the candidates involved in such practices will be held accountable.

“Sanctions may include withdrawal of institutional assets and prosecution of culpable officers or governing council members. 

‘’Admission process is designed to eliminate human interference and administrative bottlenecks.’’

The minister, however, reiterated government’s commitment to strengthening transparency, fairness, and accountability in the nation’s tertiary education system.

He explained that while the responsibility for initiating admissions rests with the academic board of each institution, JAMB, as a statutory regulatory body, is mandated to oversee and regulate the process to ensure fairness and equity.

Alausa advised vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, and governing councils of tertiary institutions to intensify their oversight functions to prevent unauthorised practices.

He assured that the ministry would monitor compliance closely in collaboration with JAMB.

The minister also reaffirmed the policy mandating the integration of the National Identification Number into the JAMB registration process.

“The NIN requirement has proven vital in safeguarding the integrity of our admission system by curbing identity fraud and multiple registrations. Any abuse of the NIN system will be identified and punished,” he said.

Alausa, who also highlighted the need for data-driven policies in admission processes, presented statistics showing a mismatch between available admission quotas and actual student intake across many programmes, especially in Agriculture, Education, Engineering and Health Sciences.

“We have capacity, but we are not admitting enough students. We need to start closing the gap so that more children can access tertiary education,” the minister said.

He  criticised the proliferation of underutilised institutions, revealing that over 120 universities in received fewer than 50 applications in the current admission cycle.

“The problem is not about access,  it’s about alignment and capacity. We don’t need to open new tertiary institutions in every ward. Instead, we must expand and strengthen the capacity of existing ones,”  said the minister.

  JAMB Registrar  Is-haq Oloyede explained that the approved cut-off marks were the minimum thresholds. He said that no institution would be allowed to go below them.

“The minimum admissible scores for admissions for the next academic session have been fixed at 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics, 100 for colleges of education and 140 for colleges of nursing sciences by the stakeholders,” Oloyede said.

He noted that the decision was aimed at ensuring fairness, access, and quality across the board.

“This policy reflects the reality of our education system and the need to align admission processes with merit, equity and capacity,” the registrar said.

 Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity Chairman Shuaib Salisu called for stricter sanctions against institutions and administrators who undermine admission processes.

Salisu also warned institutions that exploit loopholes in the admissions system by allowing students to unknowingly pursue flawed admissions for years .

He assured that the committee would explore legislation to criminalise such fraudulent practices.

Salisu also called for an inclusive education system that drives peace and economic growth.

JAMB alleges foul play in result of highest scorer

 Another round of controversy may dug the results of this year’s Unified  Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)  as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it suspects   the  result of the best candidate. Chinedu Okeke.

JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede,  at the 2025 policy meeting of the board in  Abuja, announced that Okeke, an indigene of Anambra State, had the highest score of  375 in the examinations.

Oloyede, however, said that the board made some discoveries regarding Okeke, who applied for Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lagos.

He explained that data from JAMB revealed that Okeke was admitted a year ago, to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) as a student of  Medicine.

The Registrar said that when JAMB wrote to UNN for clarification, the reply it got was that    Okeke was doing fine as a student of the institution.

JAMB Public Communications Advisor  Fabian Benjamin said the board noticed some discrepancies in Okeke’s records.

His words: “The law does not allow a student to matriculate twice, and as an undergraduate, he has an advantage over the other candidates in the examinations.

“In his records, he claimed he is from the Southeast, while the other record reads that he is from Lagos state.

“We suspect that he is a mercenary in the examination.”

The board also announced that John Ayuba from Gombe State came second in the examinations, scoring 374, while Olayinka Jimoh from Kwara State scored 373.

 Ayuba and Jimoh also applied to study Mechanical Engineering at the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) and UNILAG, respectively.

JAMB’s statistics showed that all three top scorers are males.

The   2025 UTME was marred by a significant glitch, causing widespread concern and prompting a resit for over 379,000 candidates.

The issue was initially attributed to a technical error but was later clarified to be a human error from vendors during a patch update.

This resulted in candidates in Lagos and the Southeast experiencing discrepancies in their scores.

JAMB  Registrar  Oloyede publicly apologised and took responsibility for the error.