The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially acknowledged that a combination of human and technological errors disrupted the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), affecting hundreds of thousands of candidates. The examination body, however, ruled out any form of sabotage.
JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, made this revelation during a press briefing in Abuja, where he became visibly emotional. He disclosed that the errors were uncovered after a comprehensive post-exam review and that 379,997 candidates in Lagos, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia states would be required to retake the examination, beginning tomorrow.
“We are sincerely sorry. It was a combination of human error and technology. What should have been a moment of joy has turned otherwise due to one or two mistakes,” Prof. Oloyede said.
He emphasized that the errors were not intentional and extended a heartfelt apology to Nigerian students, parents, and educational institutions. According to him, the problem stemmed from the negligence of one of JAMB’s two service providers, whose officials failed to update crucial grading software.
“I apologise and take full responsibility. While this was not a case of sabotage, the oversight was inexcusable,” he added.
In spite of the setback, Prof. Oloyede noted a significant achievement: one candidate scored 374 marks—the highest UTME score recorded in the last 15 years. Although he did not name the candidate, he said it was a sign of progress.
The Registrar explained that while JAMB identified and attempted to address the technical glitches before releasing the results, the failure to rectify the issue on time—especially in Lagos and Southeast zones—was due to the service provider’s failure to update some delivery servers.
“In simple terms, 65 centres in Lagos (affecting 206,610 candidates) and 92 centres in the Southeast (affecting 173,387 candidates) were impacted. This oversight unfortunately went unnoticed until after the results were released,” he stated.
Acknowledging the reputational damage done to the board, Prof. Oloyede said JAMB fast-tracked its audit process, which was originally scheduled for next month. The board also convened emergency meetings with educators, psychometricians, and student associations to resolve the issue.
“We remain committed to our core values of transparency, fairness, and equity. While this incident is a setback, it does not define the entirety of our work. We learn from our mistakes,” he stressed.
This year’s UTME was held from April 24 to May 5 across over 700 computer-based test centres. However, the results released on May 9 were met with widespread outrage, with many candidates questioning the accuracy of their scores.
Statistical analysis released by JAMB shows the 2025 UTME performance was Nigeria’s third-worst since 2016. Out of approximately 1.9 million candidates, over 1.5 million (78.5%) scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks.
Only 12,414 candidates (0.63%) scored 300 marks and above, while 4,756 (0.24%) scored 320 and above. About 334,560 candidates (17.11%) scored between 200 and 249, while 73,441 (3.76%) scored between 250 and 299 marks.
A total of 983,187 candidates (50.29%) scored between 160 and 199, which is commonly considered the minimum cutoff for admission into many tertiary institutions. Additionally, 488,197 candidates (24.97%) scored between 140 and 159, and 57,419 (2.94%) scored exactly 120.
Lower-tier scores included 3,820 candidates (0.20%) who scored between 100 and 119, and 2,031 candidates (0.10%) who scored below 100.
The UTME assesses candidates in the Use of English and three other subjects relevant to their intended field of study, serving as a prerequisite for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Reactions to JAMB’s admission have been mixed. Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal commended Prof. Oloyede’s transparency and called for forgiveness.
“The whole UTME issue is unfortunate but not deliberate. When a leader admits an error, he should be forgiven. They have acknowledged their mistake and are offering students another opportunity. That’s commendable,” Governor Lawal said on national television.
However, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) branch, expressed dissatisfaction with the situation. The branch chairman, Oyibo Eze, threatened legal action if JAMB fails to review the results and award deserving candidates their correct scores.
“This level of failure, especially in the Southeast, is unacceptable. We will challenge this in court if necessary,” Eze stated.
As JAMB moves to remedy the situation, all eyes remain on how effectively it can restore public trust and ensure the integrity of future examinations.
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