The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially published the results of the rescheduled examination conducted for candidates who were affected by technical glitches during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
This development was disclosed in a statement released yesterday (25, May 2025) by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin.
According to the announcement, out of the 336,845 candidates who were slated to retake the exam, 21,082 did not show up.
Although no specific reason was provided for the high number of absentees, the Board revealed plans to conduct a mop-up examination for those who missed the original UTME, including individuals without documented reasons for their absence.
The statement also raised alarm over extensive examination malpractice allegedly involving candidates, school owners, and Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.
It was noted that a meeting of Chief External Examiners, led by Prof. Olufemi Peters, endorsed the resit results following a psychometric review conducted by Prof. Boniface Nworgu.
JAMB further stated that it had approved the release of results for underage candidates, although such results do not render them eligible for admission unless legal proceedings are involved. “As part of reconciliation efforts, it was agreed that the withheld results of underage candidates (except in cases under litigation) who did not meet the required standards should be released,” the statement read.
However, it clarified that these results do not qualify such candidates for admission, as they had previously signed an agreement acknowledging that only those who meet the necessary benchmarks would be considered for special admission.
Additionally, JAMB granted a one-time concession to candidates found guilty of engaging in online examination malpractice.
“The results of candidates involved in ‘WhatsApp Runs’ and similar offences are to be released,” the statement noted.
These individuals had solicited illicit assistance during the examination process. The Board stressed that the waiver was not an approval of the misconduct but a final chance for the affected candidates.
They were advised to distance themselves from questionable WhatsApp groups and other negative social platforms.
JAMB also disclosed that CBT centres found guilty of malpractice would be permanently banned and their owners prosecuted. Individuals involved in biometric or identity-related fraud would similarly face legal consequences.
“The meeting condemned the participation of some CBT centres in serious registration and exam misconduct and resolved that all those implicated should be blacklisted, and their proprietors prosecuted. Furthermore, individuals who registered candidates using altered photos and biometric data should be arrested and prosecuted,” the Board added.
The statement criticised the role of unregulated tutorial centres in aiding examination malpractice and called for government oversight of such institutions.
JAMB reiterated its commitment to the CBT method and announced plans to enlist consultants to improve the registration process.
The meeting also condemned efforts to politicise the technical issues on ethnic grounds. It called for national unity and cautioned against divisive rhetoric. “The meeting expressed disappointment over attempts by some groups to interpret the situation through tribal and regional lenses. The incident was not directed at or caused by any particular region,” the statement clarified. It warned that such divisive narratives could deepen societal rifts, including within JAMB’s own workforce.
The meeting commended the Registrar and the management team for their transparent and competent response to the situation and encouraged them to remain resolute.
JAMB debunked claims that high-performing students were among those affected by the cancelled sessions, stating that 99% of the candidates scored below 200, with only a few managing to score as high as 217.
The Board also criticised attempts to manipulate the situation, citing the case of Olisa Gabriel Chukwuemeka, who falsely claimed to have scored 326 in the 2025 UTME. Investigations revealed that he had edited his 2024 score of 203 and had actually scored 180 in the 2025 examination.
Following the revelation and the withdrawal of his result, he subsequently deleted his social media account amid widespread backlash.
It should be recalled that JAMB initially released the 2025 UTME results on May 9.
During the press briefing, the Registrar was moved to tears as he issued a public apology for the error and confirmed that affected candidates would need to retake the test. The error, he explained, was due to faulty server updates, which had interfered with the uploading of candidate responses during the exam’s first three days.
