The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of the rescheduled 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), revealing a shockingly poor performance as 99% of candidates reportedly scored below 200 marks.
According to JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, a total of 336,845 candidates were rescheduled to retake the UTME due to technical issues at several centres. But of that number, a staggering 21,082 candidates were absent.
“Of the 336,845, who were eventually scheduled after isolated good sessions of the affected centres were excluded and their previously unverified candidates were added, 21,082 were absent,” he said.
Despite the mass absence, JAMB has offered affected candidates another opportunity through a mop-up examination, which is yet to be scheduled.
This chance also extends to those who missed the main UTME for any reason.
“This waiver is also extended to the candidates who for whatever reason must have missed the initial main UTME,” the board added.
On performance trends, the board noted that results have remained consistently low over the past 12 years, with pass rates ranging between 11% in 2013 and 34% in 2016.
“Despite the ongoing inquiries, performance analysis remains consistent (between 11 per cent in 2013 and 34 per cent in 2016) with results from the past 12 years.”
JAMB also raised concerns about widespread malpractice and irregularities involving some candidates, school owners, and Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, which it said contributed to the poor performance and compromised integrity of the exam process.
“While this situation is unfortunate, it has also revealed numerous alarming practices perpetrated by candidates, certain proprietors of schools/Computer-Based Test, CBT, centres, which have exacerbated examination irregularities.”
To validate the resit results, JAMB consulted with Chief External Examiners (CEEs) across the country.
A special sub-committee led by the Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University, Prof. Olufemi Peters, and psychometrics expert, Prof. Boniface Nworgu, reviewed and approved the data.
As part of broader resolutions, JAMB has released results previously withheld for underage candidates, except in cases that are currently in court.
However, these results are not valid for admission, as affected candidates had signed an agreement during registration.
“As part of the healing process, the meeting also resolved that the withheld results of the under-aged candidates (except where litigation is involved) who performed below the established standards be released.
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-aged special admission.’’
JAMB also granted a one-time waiver to candidates caught cheating via “WhatsApp runs” and other illicit means, stressing that it does not condone such behavior moving forward.
“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, rather a once and for all waiver. Candidates were thus advised to refrain from joining questionable WhatsApp and other anti-social groups.”
In the affected states—five South-East states and Lagos—JAMB reported that only a few candidates scored above 217, with no high scorers from the cancelled sessions.
“Only a handful scored up to 217 in the affected sessions, while 99 per cent scored below 200 marks, indicating that there were no high scorers in the cancelled sessions of the affected six states.”
The board also tackled misinformation circulating online, including a viral false claim by Olisa Gabriel Chukwuemeka, a student of Adekunle Ajasin University, who falsely claimed he scored 326 in the 2025 UTME.
“A notable example is Mr. Olisa Gabriel Chukwuemeka, a first-year public health student at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, who posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @swagpriest2, falsely claimed to have achieved a score of 326 in the 2025 UTME.
“This claim incited public outrage against the Board and was subsequently disseminated by various online platforms.
“Upon investigation, the Board found Mr. Olisa’s assertions to be entirely fabricated as he had doctored his original 2024 UTME score of 203, misrepresenting it as a 2025 UTME result with a score of 326.
“In reality, he sat for the 2025 UTME in Lagos State, where his actual score (prior to withdrawal) was 180. Following the exposure of his deceit, Mr. Olisa deactivated his account on X. There are similar cases of opportunistic attempts.”
JAMB said all valid results have now been released, except those of candidates involved in confirmed examination malpractice and those scheduled for the mop-up exam.
“While releasing the results, it should be emphasised that recent discoveries, particularly by the security agencies, have necessitated the withdrawal of some of the results of implicated candidates across the country whose results have been previously released.”
