The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has acknowledged errors in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), stating that 379,997 affected candidates will retake the exam.
Speaking during a press conference in Bwari on Wednesday, an emotional Oloyede took full responsibility for the lapses, which he said were due to a technical failure linked to one of JAMB’s service providers.
He disclosed that affected candidates would receive text messages by Thursday with details for reprinting their examination slips ahead of rescheduled exams on Friday and Saturday.
“The issue specifically impacted 65 centres in the Lagos Zone, affecting 206,610 candidates, and 92 centres in Owerri Zone, affecting over 173,387 candidates,” he explained.
“I apologise for the trauma caused the candidates and I take full responsibility for this,” he added.
StarReporters recalls that of the 1.9 million candidates who participated in the 2025 UTME, over 1.5 million scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks.
According to the Board, 1,955,069 results were processed, with only 4,756 candidates (0.24 per cent) scoring 320 and above. Another 7,658 candidates (0.39 per cent) scored between 300 and 319, bringing the total who scored above 300 to 12,414 (0.63 per cent).
Further breakdown showed that 73,441 candidates (3.76 per cent) scored between 250 and 299; 334,560 (17.11 per cent) scored between 200 and 249; while 983,187 (50.29 per cent) scored between 160 and 199.
In addition, 488,197 (24.97 per cent) scored between 140 and 159; 57,419 (2.94 per cent) between 120 and 139; 3,820 (0.20 per cent) between 100 and 119; and 2,031 (0.10 per cent) scored below 100.
Oloyede confirmed that internal investigations revealed one or two errors in the exam process.
He also pointed to JAMB’s extensive quality control systems, including mock exams, technical simulations, and oversight by vice-chancellors, civil society organisations, software developers, and education professionals.
Despite these measures, he admitted that “even the most stringent systems cannot eliminate all risks.”
“This unfortunate incident represents significant self-harm to the integrity we’ve built over the years,” he said.
“But we remain committed to transparency, fairness, and equity. It is our culture to admit error and take responsibility.”
In response to public outcry, he said JAMB expedited its usual post-exam audit, originally planned for June, and held emergency consultations with stakeholders including educators, psychometricians, and student groups to address the issue.
“We apologise, sincerely, to the Nigerian students, parents, and schools affected. While this was not a case of sabotage, the oversight by one of our two service providers was inexcusable,” he added.
Oloyede also revealed that the highest individual score in this year’s exam was 374—the highest in 15 years—suggesting some improvement despite the challenges.
He maintained that overall performance trends remained consistent with previous years, and that initial claims of widespread failure largely stemmed from the technical issue in the affected zones.
(NAN)