February 10, (THEWILL) – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned Computer-Based Test Centres against registering prospective candidates for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at night.
Raising concerns over safety and security, the Board acknowledged the need to accommodate large numbers of candidates but insisted that such services must not compromise security.
In a statement by its Spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB identified 10 registration centres and cautioned others against engaging in similar practices.
According to the board, the ten centres involved in unauthorised nighttime registration, include Thomas Adewumi University, University Drive, Off Oko-Idofin Road, Oko, Kwara State; CBT Centre Otukpo, 14 Federal Road, Otukpo, Benue State; and Ebenezer International School, No. 23 Barry White Street, Near MTN Mast, Pipeline Rumukwurusi, Elimgbu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Others are Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel Centre 1, Kano Road, Gumel, Jigawa State; Lafiagi Emirate Information Technology & Innovation Hub, Opposite Main Motor Park, Emir’s Road, Lafiagi, Kwara State; and Zulqud Consult Ltd (ZCL CBT Centre), Government Secondary School, Lugbe By Car Wash, Lugbe Bridge.
JAMB also identified other centres as Klinnicapps Academy, Old Imaje Road, Formerly Christian Secondary Commercial School, Okuku, Yala, Cross River State; Sani Mikaila Comprehensive College, Plot 34 Rikkos New Layout, Jos, Plateau State; Beeps Technology Limited, 19 Obudu Street, Igoli, Ogoja, Cross River State; and FZX Media Consulting Limited, Km 15, Ikom-Ogoja Highway, Inside Havilla University, Nde, Ikom, Cross River State.
While reaffirming its commitment to monitoring the registration process to ensure strict adherence to guidelines, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the exercise and promoting fairness and equity, the board said, “This publication serves as a final warning, as no further notices will be issued before decisive action is taken”, the statement read further.
“JAMB will not tolerate any violations of the regulations governing the registration process and will take appropriate measures against any centre engaged in questionable or exploitative practices during this exercise.”
Meanwhile, JAMB has dismissed allegations that admission is deliberately denied to some candidates despite their high scores in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Citing a recent case involving a parent, Mr Godwin Nsan, who publicly accused the University of Calabar of unjustly denying his child a “rightful admission”, the board said Nsan “was unwilling to provide requested details to establish his case despite pleas from the Board.
“When he eventually provided the details after he had unduly castigated the University in the media, it was discovered that the score (ranking) of the child who scored 201 in the UTME and whose aggregate score was 34% fell below the 55%; 35% and 35 which were for Merit; Catchment and ELDS respectively whereas he had unduly castigated the University.
“To help mitigate such misunderstandings, JAMB has implemented a robust communication system — the Ticketing Platform — where candidates and their guardians can seek clarification before airing grievances publicly.
“As a regulatory body, JAMB is committed to ensuring that qualified candidates are not substituted for inferior candidates, which is why we established the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) to transparently rank candidates for admission selection.
“Similarly, a senior public figure alleged that Modibbo Adama University, Yola, sidelined some candidates in its admission exercise. JAMB promptly investigated and found the claims to be unfounded. We communicated our findings to the individual, clarifying why his assertions of discrimination were inaccurate.
“To promote accountability among institutions and ensure adherence to admission guidelines, JAMB shared its findings with the relevant universities. The Board will continue to share such with institutions, where necessary, even as the Board, however, cautions institutions against disclosing such confidential information meant solely for institutional use to the public or media.
“While the Board welcomes genuine complaints, it detests public condemnation of tertiary institutions, who are merely doing their duties.
“Recently, a parent publicly claimed that his son, who scored 345, was unjustly denied admission to the University of Jos without valid reasons. JAMB participated in a radio programme to clarify the admission ranking process, advising candidates to consider the overall results rather than relying solely on personal perceptions of brilliance.
“The candidate and his father were invited to the National Headquarters, where they were shown the result with the son being ranked 86th among other candidates, while only 68 could be admitted based on merit.
“It is essential to note that in some universities, a score of 345 might rank a candidate as low as 300, depending on the university’s subscription capacity.
The father was subsequently invited to view the admission platform and the ranking of his son. It was there that he saw the strenuous job being done by the Board to engender equity and fairness, and he apologised and left apparently satisfied.
“In light of these circumstances, JAMB advises parents to refrain from being swayed by their subjective perceptions of their children’s exceptional abilities without considering the broader context of overall candidate performance. This perspective can help mitigate feelings of desperation and disappointment.
“A further example of this misplaced belief in exceptionalism is the misuse of the “exceptionally brilliant window” introduced for the 2025 UTME. This provision allows candidates younger than 16 to sit the examination if they can demonstrate outstanding performance through meeting the standard set by the Board.
“Surprisingly, a ridiculously high number of candidates have registered through this window, a phenomenon virtually unheard of globally, where only a small fraction typically qualifies. Parents are advised not to exaggerate the brilliance of their children without realising that there are more brilliant candidates out there.
“JAMB remains committed to protecting the rights of all candidates by ensuring fair and equitable selection through transparent ranking based on performance. We will investigate any allegations of unfair treatment and provide necessary clarifications.
“Currently, a senior university staff member is being prosecuted for admission-related crimes, with four others under investigation. JAMB does not tolerate any admission infractions and will take appropriate action against any individuals involved in questionable practices regarding admissions.
“We urge parents to refrain from jumping to conclusions without considering the performance of other candidates. The UTME serves as a ranking examination by determining a candidate’s position within a cohort for the limited available spaces in our nation’s tertiary institutions.”
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
