Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, broke down in tears on Wednesday as he publicly apologised over the widespread errors and controversy surrounding the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, a visibly emotional Oloyede admitted that the Board had failed to meet expectations, particularly in the wake of mass failure and irregularities reported by candidates.
“I apologise for the trauma caused to the candidates. What should have been a moment of joy has turned into confusion and distress due to one or two critical errors,” he said tearfully.
The apology comes amid growing public outcry after statistics revealed a dismal performance in this year’s UTME. Of the 1,955,069 results processed, more than 75% of candidates scored below the 200-mark threshold out of a possible 400 points.
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According to official figures released by JAMB:
-Only 4,756 candidates (0.24%) scored 320 and above.
-7,658 candidates (0.39%) scored between 300 and 319.
-In total, just 12,414 candidates (0.63%) scored 300 and above.
-73,441 candidates (3.76%) scored between 250 and 299.
-334,560 (17.11%) scored between 200 and 249.
-A staggering 983,187 candidates (50.29%) scored between 160 and 199.
-488,197 (24.97%) scored between 140 and 159.
-57,419 (2.94%) scored between 120 and 139.
-3,820 (0.20%) scored between 100 and 119.
-2,031 (0.10%) scored below 100.
The breakdown has sparked widespread concern across Nigeria’s education sector, with many questioning the credibility of the exam and the readiness of candidates for tertiary education.
Already, some affected candidates have indicated plans to sue the examination body, demanding accountability and potential redress.
Meanwhile, calls are growing louder for an independent audit of the 2025 UTME process, as education stakeholders demand urgent reforms to restore public confidence in JAMB.