JAMB Takes Over HND Admissions in Polytechnics, Health Institutions Nationwide

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will henceforth handle the admission process for Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes in polytechnics and other affected tertiary institutions across Nigeria, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has announced.

The new policy, which takes effect from the current admission session, represents a major expansion of JAMB’s role in Nigeria’s tertiary education admission system.

Under the arrangement, HND admissions in polytechnics, allied institutions, colleges of nursing sciences and colleges of health technology will be processed through a centralised system under JAMB.

The NBTE disclosed this in a circular dated September 9, 2026, signed by its Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, and addressed to heads of affected institutions.

The directive followed a meeting involving the Federal Ministry of Education, JAMB, NBTE and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), convened by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.

According to the NBTE, the decision was taken to address concerns surrounding illegal, irregular and compromised admissions, particularly cases in which students are admitted outside approved procedures and later encounter difficulties when they seek recognition of their qualifications or NYSC mobilisation.

The centralisation of HND admissions is expected to give the government a more reliable record of candidates from the point of admission through graduation.

It will also enable JAMB and other regulatory agencies to verify whether candidates were properly admitted into approved programmes and institutions before they complete their studies.

The development is significant because HND admissions have traditionally been handled largely by individual polytechnics and other institutions, while JAMB’s admission responsibilities have been more closely associated with entry into National Diploma (ND), degree and other tertiary programmes.

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The new arrangement will therefore bring HND admissions into a more centralised framework and reduce the level of discretion previously available to individual institutions.

The NBTE is expected to develop comprehensive HND admission guidelines and submit them to JAMB for integration into the board’s digital admission platform.

The guidelines are expected to clarify several aspects of the new process, including the requirements and waiting period for ND graduates seeking HND admission.

The rules are also expected to provide for possible exemptions involving some health-related ND programmes where the structure of the programmes may require different admission arrangements.

The policy is closely connected to concerns about NYSC mobilisation for HND graduates.

The government has in recent times faced questions over cases in which graduates of polytechnics and other technical institutions encounter difficulties during mobilisation because of discrepancies in their admission records or the status of their programmes.

By moving HND admissions under JAMB, the authorities are seeking to establish a central admission trail that can be verified by relevant agencies.

The arrangement is expected to make it more difficult for institutions or individuals to manipulate admissions or admit students into programmes without the necessary approvals.

JAMB already operates the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), a digital platform used for centralised admission processing. The expansion of its responsibilities to HND admissions will allow the board to incorporate the new category into an existing electronic admission structure.

The NBTE has also issued a related directive concerning part-time National Diploma (ND) admissions.

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Under the new arrangement, institutions will be required to process part-time ND admissions through JAMB, while their part-time admission capacity will be limited to 50 per cent of their approved full-time admission quota.

The measure is expected to provide regulators with greater oversight of part-time enrolment and help prevent institutions from exceeding their approved capacity.

The NBTE also reaffirmed its position on candidates who hold a combination of National Certificate in Education (NCE) and HND qualifications, stating that such candidates should not be presented for NYSC mobilisation.

The decision comes against the backdrop of JAMB’s earlier position that it was not responsible for HND admissions or NYSC mobilisation.

The latest directive consequently marks a significant change in the division of responsibilities among JAMB, NBTE, tertiary institutions and other government agencies involved in technical and vocational education.

The centralised admission process is also expected to improve the availability of data on students enrolled in polytechnics and other technical institutions.

For prospective HND applicants, the immediate implication is that admission into an HND programme will no longer be solely a matter between the applicant and the institution. Candidates will have to comply with the requirements and procedures established under the new JAMB HND admission system.

Polytechnics and other affected institutions are consequently expected to adjust their admission procedures to comply with the new directive once the detailed implementation guidelines are released.

The reform is part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to strengthen regulation of Nigeria’s technical and vocational education system, improve admission transparency and ensure that qualifications awarded by approved institutions are properly documented.

The government is also expected to monitor implementation closely to ensure that the new centralised system does not create unnecessary delays for qualified applicants seeking admission into HND programmes.

For students and graduates, one of the major expected benefits is a clearer link between admission records, academic qualifications and NYSC mobilisation.

The success of the policy, however, will depend largely on the detailed guidelines to be issued by the NBTE and the effectiveness with which JAMB integrates HND admissions into its digital platform.

With the takeover, applicants seeking HND admission in Nigeria will need to pay close attention to official announcements from JAMB, NBTE and their institutions as the new system is implemented nationwide.

JAMB Takes Over HND Admissions in Polytechnics, Health Institutions Nationwide

The National Association of Nigerian Students has approved fresh protests across states affected by the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities strike, warning that students can no longer continue to bear the consequences of prolonged industrial disputes.

NANS National President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, said the association had authorised its Joint Campus Committees in Ondo, Niger, Nasarawa and other affected states to begin mobilisation for what he described as a “mother of all protests.”

The announcement comes amid continued disruption of academic activities in several Ondo State-owned universities.

Institutions affected include Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, and Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa.

Recent reports confirm that the industrial action has been linked to disputes over implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement and outstanding salary-related obligations.

Afeez described the prolonged shutdown as unacceptable, saying students were being forced to suffer for disagreements between governments, university authorities and academic unions.

He said NANS would relocate its national leadership to university campuses from next week as part of efforts to intensify pressure for a resolution.

“We demand urgent action. We demand a lasting solution. We demand that students’ time and future be respected” Afeez said.

The NANS president had previously praised the Ondo JCC for engaging the state government over the strike, noting that the government had announced increased subvention to state-owned institutions and pledged to implement the 2025 agreement.

However, with the dispute still unresolved, the students’ body has now signalled a tougher approach, warning that prolonged academic disruption cannot continue indefinitely.

NANS said its planned mobilisation would extend to other states where students are similarly affected by ongoing ASUU strikes.

NEMA Awards Three Essay Winners ₦500,000 Each

Three participants have emerged as the overall winners of the 2026 National Essay Competition organised by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), taking home ₦500,000 each.

The winners were drawn from three categories covering secondary school students, tertiary institution students and members of the NYSC Emergency Management Vanguards.

At the award ceremony held at NEMA’s headquarters in Abuja on September 10, the agency also rewarded contestants who finished second and third with ₦300,000 and ₦200,000 respectively. Those who made the top 10 in each category received certificates of recognition.

In the senior secondary school category, Orire Fareedah Omolola of Murphy-Tonia Schools, Lagos, emerged victorious with her essay, “My Role in Disaster Risk Reduction.” Onminyi Olive of Faith Academy, Goshen, Abuja, came second, while Isah Zainab Ize of Government Secondary School, Gwarinpa, Abuja, placed third.

Secondary School Winners of the NEMA Essay Competition

Adelanwa Emmanuel Oluwatosin of the University of Ibadan won the tertiary category with an essay examining “Climate Change and Disaster Management in Nigeria.” Memunat Olawore Omobolanle of the Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus, was runner-up, while Aminu Ibrahim Bello of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina, took third place.

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The NYSC category was won by Dabagal Marylyn Mialmoen, whose entry explored the opportunities and challenges of technology in disaster response. Abiola Olamide Zion, serving in Adamawa State, finished second, while Stanley Sunday Iserhienrhien came third.

NEMA Director-General Zubaida Umar said the competition was created to get young Nigerians thinking more deeply about disaster prevention, preparedness and community resilience.

Umar, who was represented at the event by the agency’s Director of Internal Audit, Aliyu Waziri, said the number of entries received meant that the judging process had to be extended to ensure the final results met the required standards of fairness and transparency.

She said disaster management should become part of everyday life instead of being treated as something to consider only after an emergency has occurred.

Umar also praised the quality of the submissions, saying they demonstrated growing awareness among young Nigerians about disaster risks and ways of responding to them.

A media consultant to NEMA on the competition, Hakeem Bello, encouraged the participants to take the lessons from the contest back to their schools, institutions and communities.

He said the initiative was not simply about giving prizes to the best writers but about developing young people who understand that preventing disasters and preparing for them can save lives.

NEMA said finalists living outside Abuja would receive their prizes and certificates through the agency’s zonal directorates closest to them.

The competition is part of NEMA’s broader public awareness programme aimed at building a stronger culture of disaster prevention, preparedness and resilience across Nigeria.

NEMA Awards Three Essay Winners ₦500,000 Each