The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a mop-up Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for students who missed the examination.
The Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, made this known in Abuja on Wednesday while addressing journalists during a meeting with key stakeholders to discuss challenges experienced during the 2025 UTME exercise.
“We are also taking the decision that all those who missed that examination for whatever the reason; the 5.6% or 6% that missed it, we would not only mop up,” he said.
“Normally, we hold one mop-up nationwide for those with one issue or another. But this time, we are creating a new mop-up. Even those who missed the earlier exam due to absence, we will extend this opportunity to them.”
This comes as JAMB reiterates its commitment to transparency and fairness in admissions.
This development follows a resit examination conducted for about 380,000 students affected by technical and human errors during the 2025 UTME.
Oloyede disclosed that 206,610 candidates in Lagos and 173,387 in the South-East were affected.
Earlier, in a candid and emotional admission, Oloyede took full responsibility for the failure, describing the incident as an act of “sabotage.”
A SaharaReporters review of JAMB’s official bulletin also revealed that a total of ₦260.639 million was spent on supervising the resit of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This expenditure was detailed in the latest bulletin, which outlined financial disbursements made between May 10 and 16, 2025.
The South East Caucus in the House of Representatives had called for Oloyede’s resignation over what it described as a “catastrophic institutional failure” in the conduct of the 2025 UTME.
This position was conveyed in a statement signed by Hon. Igariwey Enwo.
“While we acknowledge Professor Oloyede’s openness in admitting JAMB’s failings, we must state unequivocally that the remedial steps taken so far fall drastically short of our constituents’ expectations,” the statement read in part.
The statement went on to criticise the rushed rescheduling of the exams, saying, “JAMB’s knee-jerk, fire-brigade approach has been anything but adequate. Students in the South East—many of whom are currently writing their WAEC exams—were given less than 48 hours’ notice to appear for the rescheduled UTME. Reports indicate this was grossly inadequate, leading to a low turnout.
“In some cases, the rescheduled UTME clashed directly with ongoing WAEC papers, compounding distress for students and families.”
The caucus emphasised that JAMB, a government agency, has a constitutional responsibility to ensure fairness in educational opportunities.
It said, “We remind Nigerians that JAMB, as a government agency, is duty-bound to uphold its fundamental obligations. Section 18(1) of the 1999 Constitution states: ‘Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.’
“Recent judicial rulings now make this an enforceable right for every Nigerian child. Sadly, for thousands of students in the South East, the flawed and tainted conduct of the 2025 UTME has effectively denied them that right.”
