The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially released the results of the rescheduled 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted for 336,845 candidates. Of this number, 315,763 sat for the exam, while 21,082 were absent. The resit was held for candidates affected by widespread technical and malpractice-related disruptions in the original exam.

JAMB’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, disclosed that numerous candidates and school proprietors were involved in disturbing examination irregularities. Following a thorough review by the Board’s Chief External Examiners and a panel led by the Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University, the results were validated and released, except for those withheld due to infractions.

The Board highlighted shocking malpractice methods, including AI-powered impersonation through photo blending, biometric manipulation using combined fingerprints, and the illegal extension of CBT centre networks to secret “strong rooms.” Some tutorial and CBT centre owners were also found guilty of manipulating registration and examination processes and will face blacklisting and possible prosecution.

Despite these challenges, performance trends remained consistent with previous years. Only 0.88% of candidates scored 300 and above, while 70.7% scored below 200. The Board noted that the performance pattern has remained similar since the inception of CBT in 2013.

JAMB also addressed misinformation, including a viral claim by a student, Olisa Gabriel Chukwuemeka, who falsely claimed he scored 326 in the 2025 UTME. Investigations revealed he doctored his previous 2024 result (203) and scored 180 in the rescheduled 2025 exam before it was withdrawn. His social media account was later deactivated.

In a rare move, JAMB released the results of underage candidates and those caught soliciting help via “WhatsApp runs” as part of a one-time waiver, stressing that such results remain inadmissible for admission. Candidates involved in fraud will have their results withdrawn as investigations continue.

JAMB warned against spreading tribal or sectional narratives, stating that the exam issues were not targeted at any group. The Board appreciated the cooperation of institutions like WAEC, ABU Zaria, TRCN, and NECO, which adjusted their schedules to accommodate the resit. It also expressed gratitude to security agencies for aiding in the arrest of offenders and reaffirmed its commitment to exam integrity.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) proudly marks one year since the launch of its groundbreaking student loan portal on May 24, 2024.

This milestone reflects a bold commitment by the Federal Government to empower Nigerian students by removing financial barriers to higher education.

In a statement, Nelfund said that it has
transformed access to education financing with over:
• 600,000 registered students and
• Over 550,000 successful loan applications
• ₦56.85 billion disbursed to cover tuition fees and provide upkeep allowances in just twelve months.

The agency noted that the achievement demonstrates the power of purposeful policy backed by strong execution, and reiterated that the student loan programme has brought relief to families, restored hope to students, and created a pathway for academic and professional success across Nigeria.

Speaking on the anniversary, the Managing Director/CE of NELFUND,Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, stated that the Fund initiative has quickly become one of the most impactful student focused interventions in the nation’s recent history.

“One year ago, we launched a promise to Nigerian students. Today, we’re proud to be delivering on that promise. NELFUND is more than a loan scheme, it’s a bridge to opportunity, equity, and national transformation.”

Backed by the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,
Through continuous collaboration with institutions, state governments, and student bodies, the Fund remains committed to deepening its reach and improving the student loan experience.

As NELFUND looks to the future, it remains steadfast in its mission to ensure that no Nigerian student is denied education because of financial constraints”.

A fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science,Professor Babatunde Rabiu,
has called on the Federal Government to revise the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act to enable Nigerian institutions host international scholars through structured academic exchange programmes.

Prof. Rabiu, while delivering a public lecture at the Academy’s 2025 Induction Ceremony in Abuja, stressed stated the need for Nigeria to deepen global academic engagement to strengthen its research and development (R&D) capacity.

“TETFund Act should be revisited to allow some Nigerian institutions to host international scholars and academics on cross-institutional exchange programmes,”

He noted that a revised Act would complement TETFund’s existing investments in tertiary institutions adding that TETFund should consider sponsorship of sustainable strategic partnerships among higher institutions as a means of sustaining its multi-billion investment over the years

Rabiu warned that Nigeria risks being left behind if it fails to prioritize innovative research and international collaboration, and noted that Nations that fail to invest in innovative research shall remain the dumping ground for technologies developed by other nations.

He also called on the Federal Government to protect TETFund’s core mandate during ongoing fiscal reforms,
highlighting the importance of international cooperation.

Prof.Rabiu therefore stressed that Nigeria’s absence from global scientific societies has cost its institutions access to valuable funding and networks.

“A lot of grants/opportunities are eluding our institutions and national scientists due to our non-participation in global scientific societies as a result of our poor financial status.”

Emphasising the Academy’s role in providing scientific guidance to national policy,the President, Nigerian Academy of Science, Professor Abubakar Sambo in his remarks,praised the high standards of the institution’s selection process, and pointed out that only 10 new fellows were inducted after rigorous nominations.

The lecture, titled “Innovative Research and Strategic Partnerships: Catalysts for Sustainable Institutional Development,” underscored the urgency of reintegrating Nigerian academia into the global knowledge economy.

The Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof.Owunari Georgewill, has attributed the low participation of students in the Nigerian student loan programme to deep-rooted cultural resistance in the South-South and South-East regions.

Prof. Georgewill who disclosed this in Port Harcourt during a Strategic Engagement and Sensitization Campaign of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), also said that families in the regions were reluctant to associate their children with debt, even if the loan was interest-free,

He advised the government to make the programme a repayable grant, noting that it would make parents feel their children were not going to school through loan.

“This is not a grant, it’s a loan. As a VC, I feel every student should key into this programme.

“Despite our advocacy, the word ‘loan” is really discouraging students from participating in the scheme.

“We can coin it to be a repayable grant which will make parents feel their children are not going to school through loan,”

Speaking on the allegations of fraud associated with the scheme, the V.C stated that the accusations leveled against universities were misguided, baseless, and potentially damaging to a critical national initiative.

Georgewill stressed that the University of Port Harcourt had maintained a clean record since the programme’s inception.

“Universities are being called names for participating in this programme. But how can I defraud myself with money paid to my university?

” If you pay school fees on behalf of students, the money becomes part of the institution’s operating budget. There is no fraud in that,”

The Vice Chancellor emphasised that the school charges one of the lowest tuition fees among federal universities, N78,000 per year, which made it easier for many families to afford education without loans.

He also noted that out of Uniport’s 40,000 students, only 1,800 are currently benefiting from the loan scheme, making it illogical to claim widespread fraud.

“Why would I be involved in fraud over 1,800 students when 38,000 others are paying their fees directly? The entire NELFUND payment is meant for the student’s fees.

Addressing concerns about student refunds, the Vice Chancellor reiterated the institution would only refund a student’s personal payment if it was made before NELFUND disbursed funds on their behalf.

The Vice Chancellor also criticised systemic misinterpretations, saying accusations were sometimes made without due investigation, while also voicing frustration over reports that paint all universities with the same brush.

In his remarks,the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr acknowledged that some issues had occurred but maintained that the agency is committed to transparency.

Represented by Dr Zino Ugboma, Director, Administration, NELFUND, Sawyerr added that media narratives and premature conclusions have sometimes done more harm than good.

“The system may not be perfect, but we are trying to make it as humanly effective as possible. Sabotage and misinformation can ruin what should be a transformative programme for the country.”

Sawyerr emphasised the need for cooperation and clarity to ensure the success of the programme.

He warned against sensationalism, urging stakeholders to focus on refining the system for the benefit of Nigerian.

He further commended the university for recording the highest number of student registrations on the national student loan portal among all higher institutions in Rivers State, with approximately 4,000 students already signed up.

“Of all the higher institutions in Rivers State, Uniport has the highest number of registrants.

“As of this morning, we have about 600,000 students nationwide who have registered for the programme, and Uniport’s 4,000 students are a major part of that success.”

The former National Secretary, National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS), David Bariereka, confirmed that Uniport had not been the subject of any official complaint regarding misappropriation of NELFUND disbursements.

Bariereka, however, he acknowledged that other universities have faced allegations where fees paid by NELFUND were not reflected, prompting students to pay out-of-pocket.

There comes a time in the life of every institution, just as it is with the individual, when the weight of its failures threatens to eclipse the nobility of its founding vision – it’s raison d’etre. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) of Nigeria, once envisioned as a unifying compass to harmonize tertiary education entry across Nigeria, now finds itself on trial – not just in the court of public opinion, but in the ethical tribunals of conscience, fairness, and national trust – and this is not the first time.

The recent, painful death of a female candidate – a victim not merely of circumstance, but of systemic failure – has reawakened old wounds and deepened national skepticism. It has sparked calls for the scrapping of JAMB altogether, with many citing the rise of post-UTME assessments as a vote of no confidence in the Board’s competence. These are legitimate anxieties. Yet, they must not blind us to the bigger picture.

We must separate institutional dysfunction from institutional essence.

JAMB is not inherently the problem; its management, implementation modalities, and responsiveness to contemporary educational demands are. We must resist the populist urge to demolish that which merely needs to be reengineered. To discard JAMB is to risk balkanizing our admission system into a wild cacophony of unequal access, contradictory standards, and regional exclusions. It is to return to the era when nepotism, tribalism, and institutional isolation shaped admissions more than merit or fairness.

What we need is not destruction, but reconstruction – a re-effectuation of JAMB’s original mandate within the framework of 21st-century realities.

Let us reimagine JAMB as:

1. A transparent entry standard regulator – not a cumbersome gatekeeper, but a strategic coordinator ensuring a minimum national standard, while allowing universities to fine-tune selection based on their academic vision and specialisations. This is not far from existing reality.

2. A technological innovator – no longer plagued by connectivity failures, poorly maintained CBT centers, or opaque result dissemination processes, but driven by blockchain authentication, biometric verification, and intelligent-enhanced integrity protocols.

3. A human-centred institution – where the candidate is not just a file on the CAPS or a number, but a person. One whose safety, mental health, and sense of dignity are protected throughout the examination process.

Yes, the current system must be reworked – but not with the hammer of demolition. Instead, let us apply the scalpel of reform.

The post-UTME process, often cited as evidence of JAMB’s redundancy, is itself a symptom of a deeper disease: the erosion of trust in national testing mechanisms. Rather than abolish JAMB, we must restore it to health – legislate higher accountability, invest in its integrity systems, decentralize its operations, and introduce periodic peer reviews involving universities, other tertiary educational institutions, professional certification bodies, the civil society, and international education quality bodies.

We must also move towards contextual admissions, where JAMB results are seen not as final verdicts, but as contributory indicators – alongside school-leaving performance, special talents, and institutional requirements.

As I have always maintained in my educational philosophy: The strength of a nation lies not in how often it breaks its institutions, but in how boldly it redeems them.

The young girl who lost her life must not die in vain. Her memory must become the altar on which we consecrate a new JAMB – smarter, safer, more just. Let that be our tribute to her. Let reform, not revenge, be our resolve.

Keep JAMB. Reform it. Humanise it. Digitise it. And let the dream of equal access to higher learning be not a slogan, but a lived reality.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has called on the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to refund fees paid by students who have subsequently received financial support from the Fund.

NELFUND’s Managing Director, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, made the call during a sensitization meeting with students of UNILAG..

Represented by the Director of Strategic Communications, Mrs. Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, Sawyerr said that the refund would address complaints from students who paid their fees before the Fund disbursed their loan payments to the university.

He reminded tertiary institutions across the country of their agreement with NELFUND not to bar students from academic activities due to nonpayment of fees, particularly students who have applied for, and been verified under the loan scheme.

Sawyerr emphasized the importance of continued sensitization on campuses to boost student participation in the scheme and advised prospective migrants among student beneficiaries to honor their loan repayment obligations after relocating abroad.

Responding to the concerns, the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, represented by the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Musa Obalola, revealed that refund has been made to a good number of students.

Ogunsola assured students yet to be refunded that the process was in its final stage, urging them to provide accurate bank details to facilitate seamless refunds next week.

The VC attributed the mix up over payment of fees to a mismatch between NELFUND’s disbursement calendar and the university’s academic schedule.

She praised the student loan scheme for offering financial relief, noting that despite the modest fees in public universities many students still struggle to pay.

She lauded the federal government’s intervention, describing the zero-interest loan as a game-changer for access to quality education.

During the session, NELFUND’s Head of IT, Mr. Wale Ogunleye, announced that 7,112 UNILAG students had registered for the loan, 5,566 had been approved, and disbursements had been made to 4,636 students.

Ogunleye alsi urged applicants to ensure they meet eligibility criteria, including Nigerian citizenship, confirmed undergraduate admission, and the uploading of admission letters and student ID cards on the portal.

In a significant crackdown on cybercrime in the country,the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police Force have arrested 20 individuals suspected of hacking into the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) servers operated by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Following a coordinated intelligence-led operation,security sources revealed that the arrests were made in Lagos, Edo, Anambra, Kano, and Delta states.

The suspects are believed to be part of a larger syndicate of over 100 cybercriminals targeting Nigeria’s key education systems.

Investigations also disclosed that the group allegedly breached the computer systems of not only JAMB but also the National Examinations Council (NECO), compromising the integrity of examination processes and raising concerns over the security of national data.

Preliminary findings shows that the hackers installed malicious software on examination hardware, which granted them remote access to JAMB servers at selected Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, aimed at manipulating examination results and compromising the credibility of the CBT system.

According to security sources, the syndicate’s method involved placing routers close to targeted CBT centres, enabling them to override JAMB’s platforms.

It was gathered that candidates allegedly paid between ₦700,000 and ₦2 million to access exam answers through this illegal network.

The breach reportedly caused discrepancies between questions and answers during the UTME, contributing to widespread complaints about mass failures in the 2025 edition.

Some of the syndicates are owners of private schools and colleges, who were said to have led the hack in a bid to discredit the CBT system, fearing its full adoption by other examination bodies like WAEC and NECO might disrupt their fraudulent dealings.

“The DSS has been quietly tracking this dangerous network of cyber attacks,” a security operative disclosed. “Their aim was to sabotage the credibility of our examination system, but thankfully, their activities have been uncovered.”

Meanwhile, investigations have found no evidence implicating the seven JAMB officials who supervised the compromised centres, though inquiries are ongoing. The arrested suspects are currently in DSS custody in Abuja, with their identities withheld pending formal charges.

A DSS spokesperson assured that all culprits would be prosecuted. “Those found guilty will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the official stated.

The incident has raised fresh concerns over the security of digital examination systems in Nigeria, with stakeholders urging for urgent reforms and stronger cybersecurity protocols to safeguard future national examinations.

While JAMB is yet to issue an official statement on the development, public calls for accountability and system overhauls have intensified.