- Leading Nigerian education agency, JAMB, has exempted education programme candidates from UTME requirement starting 2027
- Candidates for Colleges of Education now need only four Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) credits for admission
- The federal government expanded the UTME exemptions to National Diploma (ND) programmes in agriculture non-engineering courses
Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering education in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates seeking admission into education programmes are now exempted from the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Legit.ng reports that the decision was announced at JAMB’s 2026 Policy Meeting held on Monday, May 11, where key admission policies for tertiary institutions across Nigeria were reviewed and approved. The meeting was attended by heads of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the JAMB registrar, and education stakeholders from Sierra Leone, among other prominent personalities.
Source: Twitter
Nigeria scraps UTME requirement for NCE candidates
Premium Times reported that Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, declared that candidates seeking admission into Nigerian Colleges of Education (COE) will no longer need to sit the UTME.
Alausa noted that the only requirement for candidates seeking admission into the COEs will now be four credits in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). The minister noted that such candidates must register with JAMB, while their credentials are screened, verified and certified for the issuance of admission letters through CAPS in accordance with extant regulations.
Legit.ng understands that the policy takes effect in 2027.
A post on JAMB’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle announcing the new update is shown below:
Federal government expands UTME exemption policy
Furthermore, Alausa explained that the federal government has extended exemptions to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma (ND) programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.
According to him, this approach strikes a necessary balance between widening access and preserving the integrity of Nigeria’s admission system.
The Cable quoted the minister as saying:
“It will not only ease the pressure associated with UTME but also encourage greater participation in teacher education and agricultural programmes, both of which are critical to national development.”
Source: Twitter
JAMB responds to calls to scrap board
Meanwhile, JAMB has praised the examination agency’s “strategic importance” to Nigeria’s admission system.
In a statement, JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin said Nigeria’s enrolment system would not have functioned effectively without the board.
JAMB is a Nigerian examination body responsible for tertiary admissions. It conducts the UTME for prospective undergraduate students seeking admission into Nigerian universities.
The board is also responsible for administering similar examinations for candidates seeking admission into Nigerian monotechnics, polytechnics, and colleges of education. All applicants are required to have obtained the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), conducted annually by the West African Examinations Council, or its equivalent, the National Examination Council (NECO).
FG kicks as JAMB discovers fake graduates
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal government of Nigeria confirmed that the probe of the 3,000 alleged fake graduates recently uncovered by JAMB was ongoing.
The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration explained that the report of a panel that investigated allegations of degree racketeering in foreign and private universities was ready.
Source: Legit.ng