UTME Mass Failure: Tearful JAMB Registrar Admits Technical Glitches, Apologises

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has finally acknowledged that technical glitches affected candidates’ performance during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The Registrar of the Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made this known during a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, even as he burst into tears while addressing stakeholders.

According to the examination agency, a total of 1,955,069 results were processed, out of which only 4,756 candidates (0.24 per cent) scored 320 and above and were considered top-tier performance.

Also, while 7,658 candidates (0.39 per cent) scored between 300 and 319, bringing the total for those who scored 300 and above to 12,414 candidates (0.63 per cent).

Owing to this, the Board has rescheduled fresh UTME for 379,997 candidates in the five States of the south-east and Lagos State.

“What should have been a moment of joy has been marred by one or two errors,” Oloyede admitted.

Oloyede, who took responsibility for what he described as a “sabotage” of the 2025 UTME exercise, said the affected candidates will start getting text messages from the Board starting from  today (Thursday, May 15, 2025).

“The affected candidates will start getting text messages for reschedule starting from tomorrow (today). I apologise, I take full responsibility,” the JAMB Registrar stated.

Also, 73,441 candidates (3.76 per cent) scored between 250 and 299, while 334,560 candidates (17.11 per cent) scored between 200 and 249.

A total of 983,187 candidates (50.29 per cent) scored between 160 and 199, which is widely regarded as the minimum threshold for admissions in many tertiary institutions.

In the same vein, 488,197 candidates (24.97 per cent) scored between 140 and 159, 57,419 candidates (2.94 per cent) scored between 120 and 139, 3,820 candidates (0.20 per cent) scored between 100 and 119, and 2,031 candidates (0.10 per cent) scored below 100.

Over 75 per cent of all candidates (1.5 million) scored below 200, average score as the examination is graded over 400.

This year’s UTME saw a significant drop in performance, sparking concerns among students, parents, and educators.

The examination, which is a major requirement for admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, assesses candidates in four subjects, including the compulsory Use of English.