JAMB REVEALS MASSIVE FAILURE RATE, UNDERAGE PERFORMANCE AND MALPRACTICE FIGURES IN 2025 UTME
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released a critical update on the conduct and outcome of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), painting a sobering picture of underperformance, rising malpractice, and logistical challenges confronting Nigeria’s education system.
In a statement, JAMB revealed that a total of 40,247 underage candidates were permitted to participate in the UTME as a special concession to allow them to demonstrate exceptional academic talent. However, only 467 of them—barely 1.16%—achieved scores considered outstanding by JAMB’s evaluation standards. The board emphasized that these underage candidates will now undergo three additional stages of post-examination assessment to determine their academic suitability for higher education.
Beyond the underage statistics, JAMB disclosed that 97 candidates have been directly implicated in examination malpractice, with another 2,157 candidates currently under investigation. The board noted that a range of offenses were recorded, including impersonation, illegal access to exam questions, and the use of prohibited electronic devices. In addition, 71,701 registered candidates were marked absent during the exam period, a figure JAMB is reviewing for possible verification anomalies.
Candidates who faced biometric verification challenges have been placed under administrative scrutiny and, if cleared, will be rescheduled to retake the exam at specially designated centres. The board is also finalising the results of blind candidates and those categorized under the JEOG (Joint Examination for Other Groups), assuring that their scores will be released soon.
JAMB announced that a press conference will be held later this week to formally publish the results and outline procedures for accessing scores, while also responding to mounting questions about the integrity of the examination process.
