The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of its resit examination conducted for candidates affected by a technical glitch during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a statement issued on Sunday by its public communication advisor Fabian Benjamin, the board disclosed that of the 336,845 candidates rescheduled for the exam, 21,082 were absent.
Although no reasons were given for the high number of absentees, JAMB announced a mop-up exercise for candidates who missed the rescheduled exam, including those without any justifiable reason.
JAMB also raised concerns about widespread malpractice involving candidates, school proprietors and Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.
The board said the resit results were endorsed by a meeting of chief external examiners chaired by Olufemi Peters, following a psychometric analysis conducted by Prof. Boniface Nworgu.
The board approved the release of results for underage candidates, though it clarified that such candidates are not eligible for admission unless there is ongoing litigation.
“As part of the healing process, the meeting resolved that the withheld results of under-age candidates (except where litigation is involved), who performed below the established standards, be released,” the statement read.
“Such result does not, however, qualify them for admission, as they had previously signed an undertaking during the registration process acknowledging that only those who meet the prescribed standards would be considered for under-age special admission.”
JAMB also granted a one-time waiver for candidates caught engaging in online malpractice, including those involved in so-called “WhatsApp runs” and similar misconduct.
“Release of Result of Candidates involved in ‘WhatsApp Runs’ and other Misdemeanours. This category of candidates were found to have been involved in illicit solicitation of assistance.
“The meeting emphasised that its decision is not an endorsement of candidates’ unacceptable acts, but rather a once and for all waiver. Candidates were thus advised to refrain from joining questionable ‘WhatsApp and other anti-social groups,” JAMB stated.
The board said CBT centres found culpable in malpractice would be blacklisted and their owners prosecuted. It also vowed to take legal action against individuals involved in biometric or identity fraud.
“The meeting condemned the involvement of some CBT centres in perpetrating serious registration and examination malpractices and resolved that all the implicated CBT centres should be blacklisted, while complicit owners should be prosecuted.
“In addition, the identified individuals, who directly registered the candidates with modified pictures and biometrics be apprehended and prosecuted.”
JAMB also called for government regulation of tutorial centres, many of which it said promote exam malpractice.
Reaffirming its commitment to computer-based testing, the board announced plans to engage consultants to further improve the registration process.
The board also condemned efforts to politicise the technical glitch along ethnic or regional lines.
“The meeting expressed with regret the attempts by some groups to exploit the unfortunate incident to disseminate tribal and sectional narratives.
“The unfortunate incident is not targeted at any section of the country, neither was it caused by any particular section of the country.
“It was emphasised that such narratives risk exacerbating existing divisions within society and even the JAMB workforce.
“The meeting commended the Registrar and the Management of JAMB for the competent and sincere handling of the unfortunate accident and urged them to remain steadfast and courageous.”
JAMB dismissed claims that high-performing candidates were affected by the cancelled sessions. According to the board, 99 percent of the affected candidates scored below 200, with only a few reaching 217.
The board also cited the case of one Olisa Gabriel Chukwuemeka, who falsely claimed to have scored 326 in the 2025 UTME.
JAMB revealed that Chukwuemeka altered his 2024 result of 203 and actually scored 180 in the 2025 exam before his result was withdrawn. He later deactivated his social media accounts after the deception was exposed.
Recall that the original 2025 UTME results were released on May 9.
On May 14, JAMB registrar Ishaq Oloyede announced that results of 379,997 candidates across 157 centres, particularly in Lagos and the South-East, were compromised due to a technical error.
