By Barth Ikiebe in Abuja.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially admitted to serious technical failures that marred the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
These errors have affected the results of hundreds of thousands of Nigerian students.
JAMB’s Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, broke down in tears while addressing newsmen in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Wednesday.
He expressed deep sorrow over the crisis and apologized to candidates and their parents.
The visibly emotional registrar described the development as a “systemic failure” that shattered the dreams of many students.
According to JAMB, approximately 379,997 candidates were affected by the glitches.
These candidates were from Lagos and the five states of the South-East region.
The errors, according to officials, occurred due to technical issues during the conduct and processing of the examination.
The UTME is Nigeria’s national qualifying examination for admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
It is conducted annually by JAMB and remains one of the most competitive exams in the country.
In 2025, over 1.8 million students registered for the examination across various centres.
The examination plays a vital role in determining the future of many young Nigerians.
Its credibility is central to Nigeria’s education system.
As a remedial measure, JAMB has scheduled a retake for the affected candidates.
The retake is to be conducted between Friday and Sunday at designated centres in the affected areas.
JAMB also promised to reschedule candidates whose examination dates clash with other important commitments.
Our Correspondent reports that the situation has triggered nationwide concern among parents, students, and education stakeholders.
The incident has renewed calls for accountability and reforms in JAMB’s operations.
Critics argue that the scale of the error suggests gross negligence within the examination body.
There are also calls for an independent investigation into JAMB’s technical systems.
Experts say a credible education system must be built on trust, competence and transparency.
Public education advocates are demanding that those responsible be identified and sanctioned.
Many Nigerians are questioning how such failures could occur despite previous investments in technology and training.
Stakeholders expect the government to take swift action to restore public confidence in the examination process.
For many students, this situation has led to emotional and psychological distress.
JAMB has promised to improve its systems and prevent future occurrences.
But observers insist that mere promises are no longer enough.
There must be visible, concrete reforms backed by independent audits and accountability measures.
