In an emotional press briefing that underscored the gravity of the situation, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday acknowledged its role in the mass failure that plagued the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, visibly shaken and tearful, took full responsibility for the widespread technical failures and irregularities that marred the examination process. “I take full responsibility for this. We have failed many young Nigerians, and I apologize deeply,” he said, voice quivering as he dabbed tears from his face with a white handkerchief.
According to the Registrar, a total of 379,997 candidates will be required to retake the UTME following a thorough investigation into reported glitches, errors in score computation, and operational lapses.
The decision comes after a wave of outrage from students and parents who decried inexplicably low scores and inconsistencies across exam centers.
Professor Oloyede specifically highlighted 65 centers in Lagos and 92 centers under the Owerri Zone, which spans five states in the South East, as being at the heart of the reported anomalies.
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These centers, he confirmed, will conduct fresh examinations for affected candidates.
The press conference marks a rare moment of institutional accountability in Nigeria’s education sector, as JAMB—often criticized for opacity—moves to repair public trust.
The Board has pledged to implement stricter oversight measures and technological audits ahead of future examinations.
As students across the nation await new examination dates, many are hopeful that the retake will offer a fair chance to redeem their academic futures.