JAMB Sets May 11 for 2026 Policy Meeting Amid Glitches and Security Concerns

Key facts

• JAMB will hold its 2026 policy meeting on May 11 at the Body of Benchers Auditorium in Jabi, Abuja.
• Minister of Education Maruf Olatunji Alausa is expected to unveil key policy directions at the event.
• The meeting will set minimum UTME scores and admission rules for the 2026/2027 cycle.
• In 2025, 379,997 candidates were affected by technical glitches, with 206,610 in Lagos and 173,387 in the South-East.
• Two JAMB staff were arrested in March 2021 for defrauding candidates, collecting N500,000 from four parents.
• JAMB was established in 1978 by Decree No. 2 to centralize and standardize university admissions.
• The sixth edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Awards will be held during the meeting.

Policy Meeting Set for May 11 in Abuja

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will hold its annual policy meeting on admissions on May 11 in Abuja, the board announced in a statement. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Body of Benchers Auditorium in Jabi, where stakeholders will deliberate on guidelines for the 2026/2027 admission exercise. The Minister of Education, Maruf Olatunji Alausa, is expected to unveil key policy directions at the event. The annual policy meeting determines the minimum Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scores for admissions, as well as the rules governing entry into tertiary institutions across Nigeria. Participants will include vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, registrars, and admission officers from institutions nationwide. Regulatory agencies such as the National Universities Commission, the National Commission for Colleges of Education, and the National Board for Technical Education are also expected to attend.

Stakeholders and Awards Highlight the Agenda

Goodwill messages will be delivered by key stakeholders, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and the National Youth Service Corps. The meeting will also feature the sixth edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Awards, which recognizes institutions for compliance with admission guidelines. The awards are intended to incentivize adherence to the board's regulations and promote transparency in the admissions process. The event brings together the major players in Nigeria's tertiary education system, from university leaders to federal oversight bodies.

2026 UTME Marred by Glitches and Security Threats

The 2026 UTME was plagued by technical glitches and security threats across the country. Candidates faced long journeys and logistical hurdles: 17-year-old Rebecca Ojo left Ikorodu at 5:30 am for her centre in Badagry but was caught in traffic on the Mile 2-Ajangbadi road, delaying her arrival. Stella Nweke left Oke-Afa, Isolo at 4:30 am for her centre in Igando, arriving before 7:00 am but so exhausted she dozed off and missed the start. of students being kidnapped, while some candidates were barred from sitting the exam for wearing hijab. Jessica Osuere, chief executive officer at RubiesHub Educational Services, said, “JAMB was created to make university admission fair for everyone, but in reality, it has made the process more stressful.”

Persistent Technical Failures and Corruption

In 2025, JAMB acknowledged receiving an unusual volume of complaints concerning inconsistencies in the system. The board's registrar disclosed that 379,997 candidates were affected by technical glitches, with 206,610 across 65 centres in Lagos and 173,387 in 92 centres in the south-eastern states. cases of candidates who could not access their centres, especially in the South-East, due to abrupt rescheduling and confusion over logistics. JAMB has also been embroiled in corruption. On March 15, 2021, two staff members were arrested and paraded for defrauding candidates seeking admission. One of the staff members explained that he collected N500,000 from four candidates' parents, out of which he paid N180,000 to a colleague to help facilitate their admission. The board's registrar, Is'haq Oloyede, confirmed the existence of corruption within the body in a statement some years ago.

A System Born from Decentralized Inefficiency

JAMB was established in 1978 by Decree No. 2 as a policy response to the inefficiencies of the decentralized admission system that prevailed in the immediate post-independence period. The central mechanism was designed to manage access to tertiary education in a context characterized by institutional heterogeneity, demographic pressures, and educational inequality. Experts believe that the structure and governance of tertiary education admission systems are pivotal to national development goals. However, the board's performance has been criticized for failing to deliver on its promise of fairness, with candidates continuing to face systemic barriers.

Outlook: Can the 2026 Meeting Address Deep-Rooted Problems?

Many stakeholders had hoped the board would adequately address the issue of posting candidates to centres, but the experiences of Rebecca and many others across Nigeria suggest the problems persist. The upcoming policy meeting will set the minimum UTME scores and admission rules for the 2026/2027 cycle, but it remains to be seen whether the board can tackle the technical and security challenges that have undermined the examination. The meeting also presents an opportunity for the Minister of Education to outline new policy directions. With the awards ceremony recognizing compliance, JAMB is attempting to incentivize better behaviour, but critics argue that systemic reforms are needed to restore trust in the admissions process.

The bottom line

• JAMB's 2026 policy meeting on May 11 will set admission benchmarks after a UTME cycle marked by glitches and security incidents.
• In 2025, nearly 380,000 candidates were affected by technical glitches, highlighting persistent systemic failures.
• Corruption remains a concern, with staff arrested in 2021 for defrauding candidates and the registrar acknowledging the issue.
• Candidates faced long journeys, traffic, and exhaustion, with some barred for wearing hijab or kidnapped.
• The meeting will include the sixth edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Awards to encourage compliance.
• JAMB was created in 1978 to centralize admissions, but stakeholders question whether it has made the process fairer.