Did FG Scrap JAMB Requirement For University Admissions? What You Should Know

The Federal Government has dismissed reports circulating online claiming that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is no longer required for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

In recent days, viral posts on social media alleged that the Federal Government had abolished the use of JAMB for university, polytechnic, and college of education admissions, suggesting that institutions would henceforth conduct their own entrance examinations.

However, the Ministry of Education has clarified that the reports are false and misleading.

Government’s Clarification

In an official statement issued on Thursday by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the claims as “false, baseless, and misleading.”

He stated clearly that at no point did the Ministry of Education issue or authorise any statement suggesting that JAMB’s role had been removed.

“At no point did the Ministry issue or authorise any statement suggesting that JAMB is no longer mandatory for admission into tertiary institutions,” Alausa said.
“JAMB remains the statutory and legally empowered body responsible for conducting entrance examinations and coordinating admissions into all tertiary institutions across the country.”

The minister reaffirmed that the existing admission structure through JAMB remains fully operational and advised the public to disregard any contrary information.

“The established admission processes through JAMB remain fully operational, and any contrary information should be disregarded in its entirety,” he added.

What’s True and What’s False

The clarification puts to rest the confusion caused by the viral misinformation.

True: JAMB continues to oversee all entrance examinations and admission processes into Nigeria’s universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

False: No policy has been introduced to allow individual institutions to conduct independent entrance exams outside JAMB’s supervision.

The Education Minister also emphasised that the Ministry maintains a close working relationship with JAMB and other relevant education agencies to ensure fairness, transparency, and credibility in the country’s tertiary admission system.

“We remain committed to protecting the integrity of the admission process and ensuring that merit and due process guide all admissions into higher institutions,” Alausa noted.

Implications for Admission Seekers

For candidates awaiting admission or planning to apply in future years, this clarification means that JAMB remains the only recognised and legitimate pathway to gaining entry into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

The Ministry advised prospective students, parents, and education stakeholders to:

Rely solely on verified announcements from the Ministry of Education or JAMB;

Ignore unofficial publications and social media posts making unverified claims;

Continue to follow standard admission procedures through JAMB’s Central Admission Processing System (CAPS).

A Call for Responsible Reporting

The Minister further cautioned media outlets, bloggers, and online platforms against spreading unverified information capable of causing panic or confusion in the education sector.

“Misinformation capable of causing unnecessary confusion within the education sector must be avoided,” he warned.

He reiterated that there has been no change in JAMB’s role, which remains central and indispensable to Nigeria’s tertiary education framework.