The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has ordered tertiary institutions found guilty of engaging in irregular admission practices to immediately reverse such admissions and ensure full compliance with established guidelines.
The directive follows reports that some institutions allegedly offered admission to lower-ranked candidates while bypassing candidates with superior rankings, in clear violation of approved admission procedures.
In its weekly bulletin, JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed that the board received complaints indicating breaches of the admission framework.
“The attention of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has been drawn to the admission conduct of some tertiary institutions where higher-ranked candidates are reportedly being bypassed in favour of lower-ranked candidates,” the board stated, warning the affected institutions to reverse all irregular admissions without delay.
JAMB reaffirmed that admissions in Nigeria operate strictly under a three-tier system comprising Merit, Catchment Area and Educationally Less Developed States, with ranking remaining the core determinant at every stage.
“Each tier is guided strictly by ranking, such that candidates with higher rankings must be selected first, followed by others in descending order,” the statement added.
The board also dismissed a separate allegation by a candidate who claimed she was unjustly denied admission by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), despite high scores. JAMB explained that an investigation revealed many candidates ranked above her, thereby making her ineligible within the approved quota.
“Her non-admission was in line with due process as she did not rank high enough to fall within the selected limit,” JAMB clarified.
Reiterating its commitment to fairness and transparency, the examination body warned institutions that any admission conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) remains illegal, null and void.
In a related development, JAMB disclosed that it has uncovered 2,658 illegal admissions carried out by institutions during the 2024/2025 academic session. The affected institutions face sanctions, which may include withdrawal of accreditation, financial penalties and disciplinary actions against officials involved.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, expressed deep concern over the persistent violation of admission procedures and vowed to enforce strict penalties to deter future misconduct.
Meanwhile, JAMB announced that the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session remains 16 years. It also reaffirmed approved minimum cut-off marks: 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics and 100 for colleges of education.
Stakeholders say the latest directive underscores JAMB’s determination to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s admission system and ensure that merit and fairness remain the cornerstone of access to higher education.
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