JAMB announces no extension for UTME 2025 registration.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has stated that it will not extend the registration deadline for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

With an estimated two million candidates expected to register between February 3 and March 3, JAMB has set a daily registration target of approximately 60,000 candidates. The UTME serves as Nigeria’s entrance examination for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions.

So far, 782,027 candidates have successfully registered across 856 accredited centres nationwide. Among them, 11,553 candidates are underage, falling below the minimum age requirement of 16 years for university admission.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this while inspecting registration activities at several Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in Lagos. Some of the centres visited included JKK House on Ikorodu Road, Yaba College of Technology, Human Development Initiatives in Iwaya, and Yaba Local Council Development Authority (LCDA) e-library.

Speaking to reporters, Oloyede expressed satisfaction with the efficiency of the registration process, describing it as the smoothest and most seamless JAMB has ever conducted.

“In the past, we encountered issues such as network failures, power outages, and technical glitches. However, this year, the process has been remarkably fast and trouble-free, and we expect this to continue until the deadline,” he said.

He further highlighted that within just 10 days—less than two weeks into the five-week registration period—JAMB had already registered 782,027 candidates. According to him, this year’s process has seen an unprecedented increase in daily registration, reaching over 80,000 candidates per day, which eliminates the need for an extension.

Regarding underage candidates, Oloyede noted that while the official minimum age for university admission remains 16, exceptionally gifted students are allowed to register, provided they can demonstrate their capability.

“We understand that there are exceptional cases—perhaps one in a million—so we don’t want to shut the door on them,” he added.

Additionally, JAMB allows candidates without O’level results, who wish to familiarize themselves with the CBT format, to register for the exam. Oloyede also clarified that UTME registration is not school-based, meaning candidates can register at any accredited CBT centre nationwide.

Source: punchng.com