JAMB to Allow Candidates Use Personal Computers for UTME from 2027

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to introduce a “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) option for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) beginning from 2027 as part of efforts to improve examination efficiency and reduce technical problems experienced at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this on Monday during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja.

According to Oloyede, candidates will be allowed to use their personal laptops or computers for the examination under a controlled system designed to preserve the integrity and security of the UTME process.

He explained that a specially configured flash drive and other security mechanisms would be deployed to restrict unauthorised access, prevent malpractice and ensure candidates cannot tamper with the examination platform during the test.

“Candidates would be allowed to use their personal devices for the examination, but a flash drive would be inserted to prevent malpractice,” Oloyede stated.

The JAMB registrar said the initiative was introduced to make the examination process more convenient, reliable and cost-effective for both candidates and the examination body.

According to him, the move would also address frequent complaints by candidates about malfunctioning computers and sudden system shutdowns at CBT centres during examinations.

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Oloyede noted that many candidates perform better on devices they are already familiar with, adding that the BYOD option would reduce anxiety associated with using unfamiliar systems during the high-stakes examination.

He further explained that the board was developing additional technological safeguards ahead of the 2027 rollout to ensure that the system meets global examination standards and remains resistant to cyber threats or examination fraud.

The planned reform forms part of JAMB’s broader digital transformation strategy aimed at improving the credibility, efficiency and transparency of Nigeria’s tertiary admission process.

In recent years, JAMB has introduced stricter examination monitoring systems including biometric verification, IP address tracking, candidate login restrictions and real-time surveillance at accredited CBT centres to curb examination malpractice.

The registrar also disclosed that the board had continued to sanction CBT centres found guilty of violating examination guidelines, while several centres were delisted during the 2026 UTME exercise over technical and ethical breaches.

During the same policy meeting, JAMB announced top performers in the 2026 UTME examination.

According to Oloyede, John Ayuba Enwere emerged as the overall best candidate with a score of 372.

Enwere, who sat for the examination in Lagos State, selected Nile University as his first-choice institution and intends to study Computer Science.

Ayomide Bamisile from Ondo State emerged as the third-best candidate with a score of 369 and chose the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) as his preferred institution to study Software Engineering.

JAMB also used the meeting to discuss admission benchmarks, institutional capacities and reforms aimed at improving fairness and transparency in the admission process across Nigerian tertiary institutions.

The UTME remains Nigeria’s primary entrance examination for admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, with over two million candidates sitting for the examination annually.

JAMB to Allow Candidates Use Personal Computers for UTME from 2027

ASUU Threatens Fresh Showdown with FG Over Alleged Breach of 2025 Agreement

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened a fresh confrontation with the Federal Government over what it described as the flawed and selective implementation of the December 2025 agreement reached after years of negotiations aimed at stabilising Nigeria’s university system.

The warning followed the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State, where ASUU leaders expressed frustration over what they called the government’s failure to fully implement critical aspects of the agreement signed with the union.

Reading the communiqué to journalists in Abuja on Monday, ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, said the growing dissatisfaction among lecturers could trigger another round of industrial unrest across public universities if urgent steps are not taken.

According to him, the union had deliberately remained patient since the agreement was publicly unveiled in January 2026 to allow the Federal Government demonstrate commitment to implementation, but the process has remained slow and inconsistent.

“The increasing frustration occasioned by the seeming government’s disinterestedness in the welfare of Nigerian academics is brewing a pent-up anger which could erupt into a new wave of industrial unrest if not addressed,” Piwuna warned.

ASUU accused both Federal and State Governments of failing to faithfully implement several provisions of the agreement, particularly those relating to lecturers’ welfare, salary adjustments and university funding.

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The union listed unresolved issues to include the withheld three-and-half months’ salaries from the 2022 strike period, promotion arrears, salary shortfalls linked to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), unremitted third-party deductions and outstanding arrears of the 25–35 per cent wage award approved for university workers.

ASUU also faulted the Federal Government for failing to inaugurate the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC), which was expected to oversee the execution of the agreement and prevent bureaucratic delays.

According to the union, the absence of the monitoring committee has created loopholes that allowed what it described as distorted and selective implementation of some aspects of the deal by university authorities and government agencies.

The December 2025 agreement between ASUU and the Federal Government was considered a major breakthrough after nearly 16 years of disputes surrounding the renegotiation of the 2009 FG-ASUU agreement.

The deal reportedly included a 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff, improved university funding, enhanced welfare packages, research support and measures to strengthen university autonomy and academic freedom.

Part of the agreement also covered the payment of outstanding salary arrears, revitalisation funds for public universities and protection for lecturers who participated in previous industrial actions.

However, ASUU said many of the promises made under the agreement have either been partially implemented or ignored entirely.

The union stressed that the worsening welfare conditions of lecturers and the poor state of public universities could further damage the education sector if government fails to act swiftly.

Piwuna appealed to Nigerians, parents and stakeholders in the education sector to prevail on both federal and state governments to fully implement the agreement in order to avoid another disruption of the academic calendar.

“Our union’s doors remain open for working with the government to realise all our demands,” he said.

“At the same time, NEC directs an emergency meeting of NEC to be called in the next few weeks to review the situation and take appropriate action as may be necessary.”

The latest threat has renewed concerns over the possibility of another nationwide university strike, barely months after the Federal Government assured Nigerians that the new agreement with ASUU would guarantee lasting industrial peace in the tertiary education sector.

ASUU Threatens Fresh Showdown with FG Over Alleged Breach of 2025 Agreement

Hope, Fear as JAMB Releases Fresh Cut-Off Marks for Tertiary Institutions

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially announced the minimum admissible scores, commonly known as cut-off marks, for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 academic session.

The decision was reached during the 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting held in Abuja and chaired by the Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, with vice chancellors, rectors, provosts, and heads of regulatory agencies in attendance.

According to the resolutions reached at the meeting, the minimum cut-off mark for admission into universities was fixed at 150, while polytechnics will admit candidates with a minimum score of 100. The university benchmark remains unchanged from last year despite proposals from institutions ranging between 130 and 220.

For Colleges of Nursing Sciences, JAMB approved a minimum admissible score of 150, representing an increase from the 140 benchmark used in the previous admission cycle. Institutions had proposed cut-off marks ranging from 100 to 200 before the final decision was adopted through voting.

The policy meeting also introduced a major change for Colleges of Education. Candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

However, such candidates must still register with JAMB for screening, verification, and processing of admission through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS). The move is aimed at improving access to teacher education while maintaining centralised admission monitoring.

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Speaking at the meeting, JAMB Registrar, Ish-aq Oloyede, stated that tertiary institutions remain free to conduct post-UTME screening exercises if they choose to do so.

He, however, warned that the screening fee must not exceed ₦2,000, stressing that institutions must comply strictly with approved admission regulations.

Oloyede also directed institutions not to demand result verification or updates directly from candidates, explaining that JAMB would provide official candidate data to schools in order to reduce impersonation and examination malpractice.

The registrar noted that the board is intensifying efforts to strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s admission system through improved digital verification processes and tighter monitoring of admissions.

The 2026 policy meeting further reviewed broader issues affecting tertiary education admissions, including examination malpractice, technology-driven fraud, and the need for transparency in candidate selection.

The latest announcement comes amid growing concerns about the quality of admissions and the increasing number of candidates seeking placement into universities, polytechnics, nursing schools, and colleges of education across the country.

Education stakeholders at the meeting argued that the approved benchmarks strike a balance between maintaining academic standards and expanding access to tertiary education.

Candidates are now expected to await individual admission guidelines from their preferred institutions, many of which may adopt higher departmental or faculty cut-off marks depending on competition and programme requirements.

Hope, Fear as JAMB Releases Fresh Cut-Off Marks for Tertiary Institutions