In April 2025, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) administered the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), a pivotal milestone for over 1.9 million Nigerian youths aspiring to secure admission into tertiary institutions. This annual examination, designed to standardize access to higher education, has long been a cornerstone of Nigeria’s academic ecosystem. 

However, the 2025 UTME quickly descended into chaos, transforming what should have been a beacon of opportunity into a national crisis. Technical glitches plagued the examination process, with reports of malfunctioning computers, interrupted online sessions, and inconsistent biometric verification systems disrupting testing centers nationwide. These issues not only frustrated candidates but also cast doubts on the integrity of the examination process, leaving many to question JAMB’s preparedness for managing such a high-stakes exercise in an increasingly digital era.

The fallout from these logistical failures was staggering. Over 1.5 million candidates—nearly 80% of participants—scored below 200 out of a possible 400, marking an unprecedented rate of mass failure in JAMB’s history. The announcement of these results triggered widespread outrage, with students, parents, and educators accusing JAMB of incompetence and systemic bias. Compounding the crisis, JAMB withheld the results of thousands of candidates, citing alleged examination malpractices, yet provided little transparency about the investigation process. The public’s frustration boiled over into protests across major cities, legal challenges against JAMB, and, most tragically, the reported suicide of a candidate overwhelmed by the uncertainty and disappointment. This saga is not merely administrative; it threatens Nigeria’s social fabric, risking a generation’s faith in meritocracy. As stakeholders—from ASUU to ordinary families—call for justice, the 2025 JAMB saga demands urgent scrutiny.

The 2025 UTME, held from April 25 to May 5, was marred by widespread irregularities. Technical glitches affected 379,997 candidates across 157 centers in Lagos and the South-East, disrupting the Computer-Based Test (CBT) system. JAMB reported that 206,610 candidates in Lagos and 173,387 in the Owerri zone faced server failures, leading to inconsistent question displays and grading errors. The results were devastating: of 1,955,069 candidates, 1,534,654 (78.5%) scored below 200, a benchmark for university admission, while only 4,756 (0.24%) scored 320 or above. Additionally, 39,834 results were withheld due to malpractice or technical faults, and 96 candidates’ scores remain under investigation.

Public outrage erupted. Parents and candidates protested in Lagos and Abuja, decrying the results as unfair. A human rights lawyer, Evans Ufeli, filed a N10 billion lawsuit against JAMB and the Minister of Education, seeking to nullify the exam for violating candidates’ rights. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, threatened legal action, alleging deliberate targeting of South-East candidates. Social media platforms, particularly X, amplified grievances, with posts reporting a candidate’s suicide due to a low score and demanding access to marked sheets. JAMB initially defended the results, with the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, claiming the failure rate reflected effective anti-malpractice measures. However, mounting pressure forced JAMB to admit errors, rescheduling exams for affected candidates starting May 16.

The human toll was palpable. Chidinma, a 17-year-old candidate from Enugu, scored 162 despite months of preparation. “I couldn’t sleep for days. My parents spent everything on tutorials, and now I’m stuck,” she said. Such stories underscored the stakes for Nigeria’s youth, whose futures hang in the balance.

The 2025 UTME crisis stemmed from a mix of technical, systemic, and human failures. First, server updates at 157 CBT centers failed, causing glitches like missing questions and premature exam terminations. The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, described the issue as “carelessness” and “sabotage,” identified on April 25, the second day of exams. Yet, the board allowed the flawed system to continue for 10 days, affecting nearly 380,000 candidates.

JAMB’s over-reliance on CBT without a robust infrastructure exacerbated the problem. Nigeria’s erratic power supply and poor internet connectivity strained the digital system, especially in rural areas. Many CBT centers lacked backup servers or generators, leaving candidates vulnerable to disruptions. Human factors compounded the issue: inadequately trained staff at centers struggled to troubleshoot technical problems, and JAMB’s oversight was insufficient to ensure compliance.

Public skepticism grew, fueled by historical controversies like the 2023 Mmesoma Ejikeme result forgery case, which exposed vulnerabilities in JAMB’s system. Some commentators have alleged deliberate score suppression, particularly in the South-East, citing regional disparities in failure rates. ASUU’s claims of targeted sabotage, though unproven, reflect deep ethnic distrust, rooted in Nigeria’s quota system and historical marginalization. While JAMB denied malice, its initial refusal to release mark sheets or detailed explanations stoked suspicions of a cover-up.

JAMB’s handling of the 2025 UTME revealed three core faults with far-reaching consequences.

JAMB failed to rigorously test its CBT system or implement redundancies like backup servers. The glitches, affecting 17.8% of exam centers, compromised result integrity, as candidates faced incomplete questions or lost time. This eroded trust in JAMB’s competence, with stakeholders like ASUU and lawyer Alex Onyia demanding third-party audits. The implication is clear: without reliable technology, JAMB cannot guarantee fair assessments, jeopardizing candidates’ rights to education under Nigeria’s Child Rights Act.

2.  Poor Communication and Transparency

JAMB’s initial defense of the results, echoed by the Minister of Education, dismissed legitimate complaints, framing mass failures as evidence of “anti-malware systems.” This gaslighting fueled public fury, as candidates like Chidinma felt unheard. Only after lawsuits and protests did JAMB admit errors, but its refusal to release mark sheets, despite demands from over 8,000 candidates, deepened distrust. On X, users called for portals to access exam sheets, arguing that transparency would clarify discrepancies. The lack of openness risks perpetuating misinformation and unrest.

3.  Over-Centralization of the Admission Process

JAMB’s monopoly over admissions creates bottlenecks, overwhelming its infrastructure. The board’s insistence on early exam times (6:30 a.m.) and tight schedules strained candidates and centers, contributing to logistical failures. This centralization limits tertiary institutions’ autonomy, delaying admissions and increasing pressure on JAMB. The result is a system prone to collapse under its weight.

The saga undermines confidence in Nigeria’s education system, already plagued by underfunding and strikes. For candidates, low scores mean delayed dreams, financial burdens, and psychological distress, as seen in the reported suicide. Socioeconomically, the crisis exacerbates inequality, as wealthier families turn to private universities or foreign institutions, leaving poorer candidates trapped. The public’s resort to malpractice, fearing systemic unfairness, further degrades educational standards.

To restore trust and ensure fairness, JAMB must implement immediate and long-term reforms:

JAMB should conduct stress tests on CBT systems months before exams, simulating high user loads and power outages. Backup servers and generators must be mandatory at all centers, with compliance audits by independent IT experts. This would minimize glitches, as seen in the 2025 server failures.

2.    Enhanced Transparency and Stakeholder Engagement

JAMB must prioritize openness by releasing mark sheets to candidates via a secure online portal, showing questions, answers, and scores. This aligns with demands from stakeholders like Alex Onyia and X users, fostering accountability. Regular public updates, live dashboards tracking exam progress, and third-party oversight by groups like the Computer Professionals Association of Nigeria would rebuild trust.

3.   Decentralization and Capacity Building

JAMB should delegate more admission responsibilities to tertiary institutions, reducing its workload. Regional CBT centers need upgraded infrastructure and trained staff, supported by federal grants. Flexible exam schedules, avoiding early morning starts, would ease logistical strain.

4.   Candidate Support Mechanisms

JAMB must offer free re-examinations for affected candidates, as initiated on May 16, and establish counseling hotlines to address psychological distress. A clear grievance process, with response timelines, would ensure complaints are handled promptly.

5.   Long-Term Investment in Educational Infrastructure

The government must increase education budgets, prioritizing reliable internet, power, and computer literacy programs. Professionalizing teaching, as suggested by stakeholders, would improve candidate preparation, reducing failure rates. These investments would strengthen the ecosystem supporting JAMB’s operations.

The 2025 JAMB saga exposed deep flaws in Nigeria’s admission process, from technical failures to transparency deficits, leaving millions of candidates in limbo. The crisis is not just a logistical failure but a betrayal of trust, with profound consequences for Nigeria’s youth and national development. JAMB must act swiftly, embracing transparency through mark sheet access, rigorous system testing, and stakeholder collaboration. The government, too, must invest in education to prevent future debacles. 

As Chidinma and countless others await justice, the urgency for reform is undeniable. Nigeria’s future depends on a fair, reliable, and inclusive admission system — one that empowers, not obstructs, its young dreamers.