FG Dismisses Rumours of JAMB Scrap, Reaffirms UTME as Sole Admission Process

The Federal Government has dismissed reports claiming it has scrapped the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), insisting that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) remains the only authorized body responsible for coordinating admissions into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

In a statement on Wednesday, Boriowo Folasade, spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Education, described the reports as false and misleading, urging the public to disregard them.

“For the avoidance of doubt, JAMB remains the statutory and legally empowered body responsible for conducting entrance examinations and coordinating admissions into all tertiary institutions in Nigeria,” the statement read.
“The established admission processes through JAMB remain fully operational, and any contrary information should be disregarded in its entirety.”

Folasade added that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working closely with JAMB and other relevant agencies to ensure transparency, fairness, and merit in the nation’s tertiary education admission system.

“The Federal Government remains committed to maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s admission process,” Alausa said.

The statement also clarified that the recent review of admission criteria—which allows candidates without a credit in Mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) to apply for certain Arts programmes—was part of efforts to broaden access to higher education.

“The reform is designed to expand opportunities for qualified candidates, particularly in non-quantitative disciplines,” the ministry explained.

The clarification comes amid widespread online speculation suggesting that the government had abolished the UTME and decentralized university admissions.