The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed an immediate review of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), following widespread complaints from candidates and the public over alleged system failures, incomplete exam questions, and drastically low performance outcomes.
In a statement released by Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, the board acknowledged receiving what it described as an “unusual volume of complaints” since announcing this year’s UTME results last Friday. The backlash has prompted the board to fast-track its post-examination audit, a process typically scheduled for months after the UTME has concluded.
“We are particularly concerned about the unusual complaints originating from a few states within the federation. We are currently scrutinising these complaints in detail to identify and rectify any potential technical issues,” the statement noted.
Benjamin explained that the board’s annual review process encompasses all three phases of the UTME—registration, examination, and result release. He added that if any problems are confirmed within the system, JAMB is prepared to take immediate corrective action.
“To assist in this process, we have engaged a number of experts, including members from the Computer Professionals Association of Nigeria, Chief External Examiners, who are heads of tertiary institutions, the Educational Assessment and Research Network in Africa, measurement experts, and Vice Chancellors from various institutions,” he stated.
JAMB reiterated its commitment to resolving any discovered glitches and assured candidates that necessary remedial steps would be applied without delay.
Candidates Prepare Lawsuit Over Alleged Irregularities
JAMB’s swift intervention follows reports that thousands of UTME candidates are mobilizing to file a class-action lawsuit against the Board. Many allege they experienced software issues, including sudden screen freezes and question errors during the examination.
The controversy intensified after JAMB disclosed that more than 1.5 million out of the 1.9 million candidates who participated in this year’s UTME scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks. The data has sparked nationwide debate and online outrage.
The hashtag #ThisIsNotMyResult has been trending, as both candidates and parents express disbelief at the poor scores. Many have demanded a full-scale investigation into the UTME process.
Official Reactions from Minister and Registrar
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, addressed the concerns during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. He attributed the mass failure to the effectiveness of JAMB’s anti-malpractice mechanisms, stating that the exam board’s technology “had made cheating nearly impossible.” Alausa suggested extending similar systems to other national exams like WAEC and NECO.
Meanwhile, JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, downplayed the backlash, arguing that comparable performance outcomes had occurred in past UTME cycles. He insisted that the current results were not out of the ordinary.
Despite this defense, JAMB continues to face mounting pressure to ensure transparency in its examination processes and to uphold fairness in result computation.
What you should know
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is under intense scrutiny following the release of the 2025 UTME results, which saw an overwhelming number of candidates scoring below average.
At the heart of the controversy are accusations of widespread technical failures and result inconsistencies. Candidates have taken to social media using the hashtag #ThisIsNotMyResult to voice their frustrations, citing issues such as malfunctioning test software, incomplete questions, and unusually low marks that defy expectations.
Some have hinted at resorting to legal action to challenge what they believe to be a flawed examination process. In response, JAMB has launched an immediate post-exam review and enlisted the help of external experts, including tech professionals, academic leaders, and measurement specialists.
While the Minister of Education and JAMB’s Registrar defend the results as a product of improved security and anti-cheating measures, public trust in the system remains shaken.
This development has reignited the national conversation around the fairness, reliability, and integrity of Nigeria’s tertiary admission system, and it remains to be seen whether JAMB’s ongoing review will bring resolution or further controversy.
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