JAMB Extends Admission Acceptance Deadline to September 30

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has extended the deadline for candidates offered admission between 2021 and 2026 to accept or reject their outstanding admission offers, giving affected candidates a final 30-day window to regularise their admission status. The new deadline is now Wednesday, September 30, 2026, replacing the earlier cutoff of Monday, August 31, 2026. The Board described this extension as a “final opportunity” for all candidates with pending admission offers, and warned that no further extensions will be granted after this date. JAMB‘s Public Communication Adviser, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, announced the decision in a statement on Saturday, August 29, 2026, urging all affected candidates to act immediately rather than wait until the last day. “Candidates should not wait until the deadline, as failure to take action within the stipulated period will have consequences for the status of such admissions,” the Board stated. The extension applies to candidates with outstanding admission offers across all categories, including both regular admissions and those processed through the Centralised University and Institution Admission (CUIIA) platform. CUIIA covers non-UTME admissions such as Direct Entry, part-time, sandwich, distance learning, and other programmes processed through JAMB.

According to JAMB, candidates who accept their admission offers will be able to proceed to print and obtain their admission letters. Those who reject their offers will have their dashboards reverted to “Not Admitted” status, which enables the Board to update its national admission records and ensure that its data accurately reflects the current status of all candidates. Candidates can access their admission status by logging into their JAMB e-Facility accounts, clicking on “Admission Status,” and accessing the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS). If an offer is displayed, candidates must select either “Accept Admission” or “Reject Admission” without delay.

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The Board provided important guidance for candidates in unique situations to ensure that no one is unfairly disadvantaged by the new deadline. For candidates who are no longer studying at the institution where their previous admission was offered, or who are currently enrolled in a different programme from the one for which the admission was originally granted, they may still accept the outstanding offer and subsequently apply for the appropriate correction or deletion of the admission, as the case may be, to enable JAMB to properly update their admission status and records. Those currently pursuing a second degree but who still hold an unaccepted previous admission offer may reject the outstanding offer and continue with their current programme without any issues. The Board also moved to allay fears among candidates who have secured admission in the ongoing 2026 admission exercise but still have previous admission offers pending, clarifying that such candidates may reject the previous admission offer, and doing so will have no adverse effect whatsoever on their 2026 admission. “Candidates who have been offered admission in the 2026 admission exercise but still have a previous admission offer pending should not be apprehensive. Such candidates may reject the previous admission offer, and doing so will have no adverse effect whatsoever on their 2026 admission,” the Board stated.

JAMB emphasised that September 30, 2026, is the absolute final deadline, and there will be no further extensions after this date. At the expiration of the deadline, all outstanding admission offers from 2021 to date that have neither been accepted nor rejected will automatically be reverted to “Not Admitted” status and will remain so on the Board’s records. The Board warned that failure to accept an admission offer within the stipulated period will render the offer permanently invalid. According to JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), admissions offered by tertiary institutions must be approved by JAMB and reflected on its official admission platform. Candidates who accept admissions outside CAPS do so at their own risk, as such admissions may not be recognised by the Board. The extension is part of JAMB’s broader effort to maintain accurate, current, and reliable national admission records while giving affected candidates a final chance to regularise their admission status. All affected candidates are strongly urged to act immediately and not wait until the deadline.

JAMB Extends Admission Acceptance Deadline to September 30

2026 WAEC results: Official raises fresh concerns over irregularities, glitches

The controversy surrounding the 2026 WAEC results has intensified after an official of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) raised concerns over alleged irregularities and technical glitches linked to the examination and result-processing process.

The development has renewed questions about the credibility of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, with candidates, parents, schools and education stakeholders seeking clarification over reported discrepancies.

The concerns were reportedly raised by Olanrewaju Fadehan, Head of Examinations at the WAEC office covering Anambra State, in a video that has circulated on social media.

Fadehan reportedly highlighted concerns about possible technical challenges and irregularities, adding to complaints from some candidates and schools about unexpected grades in the recently released results.

The allegations are significant because the 2026 WASSCE comes amid WAEC’s increased adoption of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) as part of its move towards digital examinations.

The transition required schools to invest heavily in computer laboratories, internet connectivity and other infrastructure needed to support the new examination format.

Some education stakeholders have, however, raised questions about whether technical difficulties experienced during the transition could have affected some candidates.

Fadehan reportedly referred to concerns over candidates’ performances in some subjects, including Igbo, where some schools and stakeholders have questioned results that they considered unexpectedly poor.

The development has prompted renewed calls for WAEC to explain how candidates’ answers were processed, marked and standardised before the results were released.

Some schools have also expressed concern over sharp differences between candidates’ previous academic performances and the grades contained in their 2026 WAEC results.

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The concerns have particularly attracted attention where schools believe that candidates who consistently performed well during internal assessments received unexpectedly low grades in the examination.

The adoption of CBT has become a central part of the discussion, with some schools reportedly investing substantial amounts of money to prepare for the new examination system.

Some institutions reportedly spent millions of naira on computer facilities and related infrastructure ahead of the examination.

While the transition to digital testing is expected to improve examination security, efficiency and transparency, stakeholders have argued that technical challenges must not disadvantage candidates.

The latest allegations have therefore increased calls for WAEC to establish a transparent process for investigating complaints and correcting any result affected by a genuine technical or administrative error.

Some education groups have previously called for an independent review of the 2026 WAEC results, citing complaints from candidates, parents and schools.

The Initiative for School Excellence and Education Foundation had also threatened legal action over concerns about the results and demanded greater transparency from the examination body.

WAEC, however, has maintained that the examination and result-processing exercise followed established procedures.

The council has previously urged candidates, parents, schools and members of the public to disregard unverified claims circulating on social media and rely on official information.

WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, said the examination was conducted in accordance with the council’s established procedures and relevant education policies.

The examination body has also defended the integrity of its assessment processes and indicated that results are subjected to quality-control measures before publication.

The latest concerns from an examination official are nevertheless likely to increase pressure on WAEC to provide further explanations, particularly on the specific technical issues and alleged irregularities being reported.

For candidates, the issue is particularly important because WAEC results are required for admission into many Nigerian universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions.

An unexpectedly low grade or an incorrect result could affect a candidate’s eligibility for admission or force them to sit for another examination.

Parents and schools are therefore calling for any legitimate complaints to be investigated promptly and for affected candidates to receive appropriate remedies where errors are established.

The controversy also highlights the challenges associated with Nigeria’s growing reliance on computer-based examinations.

Digital testing can offer significant advantages, including faster processing, stronger examination security and reduced opportunities for certain forms of malpractice. However, the system also requires reliable infrastructure, adequate technical support and effective contingency measures.

Stakeholders have consequently urged examination authorities to ensure that technical problems do not undermine candidates’ performances or the credibility of examination results.

For now, the reported irregularities remain allegations, and WAEC has not formally acknowledged that systemic failures affected the overall 2026 results.

The examination body is expected to face continued calls for clarification as affected candidates and schools seek answers to their complaints.

The outcome of any review or investigation will be closely watched by candidates, parents, schools and the wider education community, particularly as the 2026 WAEC results play an important role in determining the next academic steps of thousands of Nigerian students.

2026 WAEC results: Official raises fresh concerns over irregularities, glitches

JAMB clarifies O’Level verification, says previously uploaded results remain valid

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reassured candidates that O’Level results previously uploaded on its platform remain valid, following concerns over the Board’s new result verification arrangement.

The clarification is expected to ease concerns among candidates preparing for the 2026/2027 admission exercise, particularly those who had already submitted their WAEC, NECO and other O’Level results and were unsure whether they needed to repeat the process.

JAMB said candidates who uploaded their O’Level results during the current registration exercise, after the release of their examination results or in previous years under the earlier upload system do not need to re-upload their results simply because the new verification process has been introduced.

The Board also said such candidates are not required to obtain a new verification code under the new arrangement.

JAMB Acting Director of Public Affairs and Protocols, Dr Fabian Benjamin, made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja following what the Board described as numerous complaints and enquiries from candidates.

Benjamin explained that results submitted through the previous upload process remain available on JAMB’s platform and will continue to be recognised for admission purposes.

“Candidates in this category are therefore not required to take any further action regarding the verification code,” the Board stated.

The Board urged candidates who have already uploaded their results not to panic or make unnecessary repeat submissions.

According to JAMB, the introduction of the new verification system is not intended to invalidate legitimate O’Level results that were previously uploaded. Rather, it is designed to strengthen the verification and authentication of candidates’ academic qualifications.

The new arrangement is aimed at helping to prevent the use of fake or falsified O’Level results in Nigeria’s tertiary education admission process.

JAMB explained that candidates whose results were uploaded under the previous system would have their qualifications subjected to the appropriate verification by their respective institutions where necessary.

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This means that the new process primarily concerns the authentication of results, rather than requiring every candidate with an existing valid upload to start the process again.

The distinction is important for candidates who may have interpreted the introduction of a verification code as a requirement to upload their results afresh.

JAMB’s clarification means that a candidate whose O’Level result is already properly uploaded should not create a duplicate submission solely because the Board has introduced an additional verification mechanism.

However, candidates who have not yet uploaded their O’Level results remain required to do so when their results become available.

JAMB’s admission guidelines provide that candidates awaiting O’Level results should upload them to the Board’s portal once they are released. The Board also requires institutions to consider candidates’ relevant qualifications as part of the admission process.

The verification process is part of JAMB’s wider effort to improve data integrity and credibility in the admission system.

With millions of candidates seeking admission into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions, the accuracy of academic records remains a major consideration in admission processing.

The Board has increasingly relied on digital systems and data-sharing arrangements to enable institutions to access and verify candidates’ information.

JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System, CAPS, is also central to the admission process, providing institutions with a platform through which admission recommendations and candidate information are processed.

For candidates, the latest clarification means that they should avoid unnecessary duplicate uploads and instead monitor their JAMB profiles for any official notification requiring further action.

Candidates who encounter genuine problems with their O’Level results or other records have also been advised to use JAMB’s official channels rather than relying on unauthorised agents.

The Board has repeatedly warned candidates against handing their registration details or sensitive information to individuals who claim they can manipulate admission records.

Candidates are particularly advised to ensure that their names, dates of birth and other personal details are correctly reflected across their relevant examination and JAMB records.

Any legitimate discrepancy that affects admission processing should be addressed through the approved JAMB procedure.

The latest clarification is also significant for candidates who recently uploaded WAEC results following the release of their examination results.

Such candidates do not need to repeat the upload merely because the new verification system has been introduced, provided their results were successfully uploaded to the JAMB platform.

The Board stressed that the objective of the new verification arrangement is to strengthen confidence in the admission process and ensure that candidates presenting O’Level qualifications possess genuine results.

JAMB’s clarification therefore provides a simple message to affected candidates: previously uploaded O’Level results remain valid, and there is no need for unnecessary re-uploading or a new verification code solely because of the new system.

Candidates are nevertheless encouraged to follow official updates from JAMB and their chosen institutions, particularly as the 2026/2027 admission process progresses.

The Board said the verification measures would help protect the integrity of the admission system while ensuring that genuine candidates are not subjected to unnecessary administrative difficulties.

JAMB clarifies O’Level verification, says previously uploaded results remain valid