By Correspondent in Abuja.
(C) Google.
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has publicly admitted to technical errors that marred the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.
In a candid and detailed press conference held at the JAMB headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the Registrar offered a heartfelt apology to candidates and their families, accepting full responsibility for the anomalies and announcing remedial actions to address the issue.
Speaking under the theme “Man Proposes, God Disposes,” Prof. Oloyede began by acknowledging the widespread complaints that followed the release of this year’s UTME results.
While the examination had initially been hailed as one of the board’s best in years, the Registrar admitted that errors in grading and result uploading,caused by technical oversights,undermined its credibility and triggered public outcry.
According to the Registrar, a major glitch originated from the examination software update in the “LAG” operational zone, which includes Lagos and the South-East states.
He said the update, intended to shuffle multiple-choice options and improve test integrity, was improperly implemented in 157 examination centres, affecting over 370,000 candidates.
While the issue was corrected in subsequent exam days, the results of the earlier affected candidates were compromised,he added.
According to the him,the board’s investigation revealed that technical service providers failed to update certain server patches, particularly in Lagos and Owerri zones.
These oversights,he said ,led to incomplete or incorrect data uploads, affecting the accuracy of the released scores.
Prof. Oloyede clarified that the mishap was not due to sabotage or deliberate manipulation, but rather human error and negligence during critical system updates.
In a swift response to the growing concerns, JAMB convened a high-level review meeting involving internal experts, education stakeholders, and IT professionals, including academics from the Nigerian Academy of Education, Computer Professionals Council of Nigeria, and test measurement specialists.
This collaborative approach helped to quickly isolate the affected centres and determine an appropriate course of action.
The registrar said that to remedy the situation, JAMB has scheduled a resit examination starting Friday, May 16, for all candidates whose results were affected,assuring these candidates will be contacted via SMS, email, and phone calls to reprint their exam slips.
The Registrar reassured students and parents that the new examination will not clash with ongoing WAEC exams, adding that JAMB has secured cooperation from the West African Examinations Council to adjust schedules accordingly.
Prof. Oloyede reiterated JAMB’s commitment to transparency, quality assurance, and fairness.
He outlined the board’s multiple layers of exam oversight, including mock tests, independent monitoring groups, software consultants, and national education stakeholders.
Despite these measures, the Registrar acknowledged that “we are not perfect,” adding that “even the most carefully laid plans can falter.”
Addressing affected students directly, Prof. Oloyede said, “Please accept this explanation as the truth without embellishment. I apologise and take full responsibility not just in words, but in action.”
He also thanked the Minister of Education and other supporters for standing by the board during the crisis and pledged that JAMB would emerge stronger from the setback.
JAMB, created to oversee university admissions in Nigeria, has over the years implemented digital reforms to reduce malpractice and improve the credibility of its exams. However, the 2025 UTME experience highlights the challenges of large-scale computer-based testing in a developing country context, particularly the reliance on third-party service providers for critical technical operations.
As the board prepares for the rescheduled exams, many observers see this incident as a pivotal moment for JAMB to reassess its operations, strengthen internal quality controls, and rebuild public trust.
While the Registrar’s openness and apology have been widely commended, affected candidates and their families hope that the corrective measures will be swift, fair, and foolproof.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
Errors, Orders Resit for Affected Candidates
By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has publicly admitted to technical errors that marred the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.
In a candid and detailed press conference held at the JAMB headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the Registrar offered a heartfelt apology to candidates and their families, accepting full responsibility for the anomalies and announcing remedial actions to address the issue.
Speaking under the theme “Man Proposes, God Disposes,” Prof. Oloyede began by acknowledging the widespread complaints that followed the release of this year’s UTME results.
While the examination had initially been hailed as one of the board’s best in years, the Registrar admitted that errors in grading and result uploading,caused by technical oversights,undermined its credibility and triggered public outcry.
According to the Registrar, a major glitch originated from the examination software update in the “LAG” operational zone, which includes Lagos and the South-East states.
He said the update, intended to shuffle multiple-choice options and improve test integrity, was improperly implemented in 157 examination centres, affecting over 370,000 candidates.
While the issue was corrected in subsequent exam days, the results of the earlier affected candidates were compromised,he added.
According to the him,the board’s investigation revealed that technical service providers failed to update certain server patches, particularly in Lagos and Owerri zones.
These oversights,he said ,led to incomplete or incorrect data uploads, affecting the accuracy of the released scores.
Prof. Oloyede clarified that the mishap was not due to sabotage or deliberate manipulation, but rather human error and negligence during critical system updates.
In a swift response to the growing concerns, JAMB convened a high-level review meeting involving internal experts, education stakeholders, and IT professionals, including academics from the Nigerian Academy of Education, Computer Professionals Council of Nigeria, and test measurement specialists.
This collaborative approach helped to quickly isolate the affected centres and determine an appropriate course of action.
The registrar said that to remedy the situation, JAMB has scheduled a resit examination starting Friday, May 16, for all candidates whose results were affected,assuring these candidates will be contacted via SMS, email, and phone calls to reprint their exam slips.
The Registrar reassured students and parents that the new examination will not clash with ongoing WAEC exams, adding that JAMB has secured cooperation from the West African Examinations Council to adjust schedules accordingly.
Prof. Oloyede reiterated JAMB’s commitment to transparency, quality assurance, and fairness.
He outlined the board’s multiple layers of exam oversight, including mock tests, independent monitoring groups, software consultants, and national education stakeholders.
Despite these measures, the Registrar acknowledged that “we are not perfect,” adding that “even the most carefully laid plans can falter.”
Addressing affected students directly, Prof. Oloyede said, “Please accept this explanation as the truth without embellishment. I apologise and take full responsibility not just in words, but in action.”
He also thanked the Minister of Education and other supporters for standing by the board during the crisis and pledged that JAMB would emerge stronger from the setback.
JAMB, created to oversee university admissions in Nigeria, has over the years implemented digital reforms to reduce malpractice and improve the credibility of its exams. However, the 2025 UTME experience highlights the challenges of large-scale computer-based testing in a developing country context, particularly the reliance on third-party service providers for critical technical operations.
As the board prepares for the rescheduled exams, many observers see this incident as a pivotal moment for JAMB to reassess its operations, strengthen internal quality controls, and rebuild public trust.
While the Registrar’s openness and apology have been widely commended, affected candidates and their families hope that the corrective measures will be swift, fair, and foolproof.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
