JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, addresses the press after UTME resit. Source: Punch Newspapers

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced it will release the results of 379,000 candidates who sat for the rescheduled Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.[1] This follows a turbulent exam cycle marked by widespread technical and human errors, particularly in Lagos and the South-East, which led to mass failure and public outcry among candidates and parents nationwide.[2][3][4][5][6]

Background: What Led to the UTME Resit?

Out of the 1.9 million candidates who participated in the initial 2025 UTME, more than 1.5 million scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks, sparking concerns about the credibility and fairness of the examination. JAMB’s internal review revealed that technical glitches and human errors, especially in Lagos and the South-East, significantly distorted scores and disrupted the exam process for nearly 380,000 candidates.[1][3][4][5][6]

In a rare show of accountability, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, publicly accepted responsibility for the failures, even breaking down in tears while announcing a resit for the affected candidates. He described the situation as a “significant setback” for the Board’s reputation and issued an unreserved apology to all those affected.[2][3][4]

Who Was Affected?

According to official figures, 379,997 candidates were impacted—206,610 across 65 centres in Lagos and 173,387 in 92 centres in the South-East states. These candidates were notified via text messages and sat for the rescheduled UTME between Friday, May 16 and Monday, May 19, 2025.[1][4][5][6]

Performance Statistics: A Closer Look

The initial UTME results showed that over 75% of candidates scored below 200 marks, fueling national debate. Of the 1,955,069 processed results, only 0.24% (4,756 candidates) scored 320 and above, while just 0.39% (7,658 candidates) scored between 300 and 319. The majority—over 50%—scored between 160 and 199, with significant numbers also falling below 160.[1]

• 320 and above: 4,756 candidates (0.24%)
• 300–319: 7,658 candidates (0.39%)
• 250–299: 73,441 candidates (3.76%)
• 200–249: 334,560 candidates (17.11%)
• 160–199: 983,187 candidates (50.29%)
• 140–159: 488,197 candidates (24.97%)
• 120–139: 57,419 candidates (2.94%)
• 100–119: 3,820 candidates (0.20%)
• Below 100: 2,031 candidates (0.10%)

These figures highlight the scale of the problem and the need for urgent reforms in the examination process.

Public Reaction and Calls for Accountability

The South-East Caucus in the House of Representatives has called for the resignation of the JAMB Registrar, describing the episode as a “catastrophic institutional failure.” Lawmakers criticized poor communication, short notice for the resit, and scheduling conflicts with the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), which they said caused unnecessary trauma for students and their families.[1]

What Happens Next?

JAMB has assured all affected candidates that the results of the rescheduled UTME will be released on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at the board’s headquarters in Bwari, Abuja.[2][3][6] Candidates are advised to check their results via the official JAMB portal or through SMS notifications as soon as the results are announced.

The Board has also promised to strengthen its technical infrastructure and review its processes to prevent a recurrence of such failures in the future.

Sources & References

1. Punch Newspapers ↩
2. Vanguard ↩
3. Leadership ↩
4. Daily Post ↩
5. The Nation ↩
6. Legit.ng ↩