2026 JAMB Policy Meeting Holds 11th May [All You Need to Know]

 The 2026 JAMB Policy meeting date and everything you should expect after the meeting.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has concluded arrangements to hold the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions scheduled for 11th May, 2026, at the Body of Benchers, Auditorium, located at Plot 688, Institute and Research District, FCC Phase III, Jabi, Abuja.

The 2026 Policy Meeting promises to be exciting as key policy direction will be unveiled by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa.

The Board's annual policy meeting on admissions is a crucial annual gathering where stakeholders decide minimum tolerable UTME marks, admission guidelines, and policies for tertiary institutions.

Furthermore, the meeting is expected to, in particular, formally set the tone for the 2026/2027 admission exercise while impressing it on attendees the need to adhere strictly to stipulated guidelines.

Attendees at the 2026 meeting would include critical stakeholders such as Vice-Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, Registrars and their admission officers.

Others are regulatory bodies ranging from the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), among others.

Goodwill messages will also be taken from Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and other critical stakeholders.

Also slated to hold is the 6th Edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Awards (NATAP-M), which has ensure strict adherence to admission guidelines and also contributed greatly to the development of tertiary education in the country.

Fabian Benjamin, Ph.D., OrgExpert
JAMB PCA

These critical stakeholders include Heads of regulatory agencies such as the National University Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Council for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Heads of tertiary institutions in the country, and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), among others.

The policy meeting on admissions sets the tone for any particular year’s admission exercise, formulation of admission guidelines. It also presents application statistics, candidates’ performance evaluation, as well as setting the acceptable minimum admissions standards for all tertiary.

Furthermore, the Policy Meeting, among other things, would decide the acceptable minimum admissible score to be applied in all admissions to be undertaken by all tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

In simple terms, below are the six things to expect after the JAMB policy meeting:

▪ The Official 2026 Cut-off marks for ALL Institutions & Courses will be released after the Policy Meeting. This will help the candidates to make informed decisions concerning the Change Of Course/Institution.

▪ JAMB will announce the deadline for schools to admit 2026 candidates.

▪ We will know the Top 10 Universities, Polytechnics, and COEs with the highest applications for 2026.

▪ The meeting will also evaluate the 2025 admissions exercise, eg, we will know the total number of students each school admitted in the 2025/2026 session.

▪ Finally, after the meeting, we will also see the reasons why some candidates were not offered admission in 2025.

Reasons Candidates Were Not Admitted

In 2021 a little over two million candidates applied for admission into tertiary institutions, but barely 600,000 candidates were admitted. Which leaves one with the burning question, WHY WEREN’T OVER ONE MILLION CANDIDATES admitted?

During the JAMB Policy meeting, it was disclosed that one of the main reasons why some candidates were not admitted was because most of them chose few programmes. This is what JAMB referred to as “over subscription of few Programmes”.

Other reasons highlighted are:

▪ Wrong O’ Level subject combination

▪ Over-subscription of few Programmes: Most candidates chose few programmes, leading to high competition.

▪ Low (Post UTME) screening score

▪ Wrong JAMB UTME Subject combination

▪ Didn’t accept admission Offer on JAMB CAPS

▪ Duplication of application (i.e registering for both JAMB UTME and Direct Entry)

▪ Absent from POST UTME Screening

▪ Late change of Institution & Mismatch of Catchment

JAMB allowed Awaiting Result Candidates to register & to also sit for the UTME. BUT:

▪ These candidates can’t be considered for admission on awaiting result status

▪ They must upload their O’ level results on the Board’s portal before the commencement of the admission exercise

▪ Their O’ level results form a crucial part of their registration requirements

Most Sought-After Schools in Nigeria

Top 10 Most Sought-After Universities in Nigeria:

➢ University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State (UNILORIN)
➢ University of Lagos, Lagos State (UNILAG)
➢ University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State (UNIBEN)
➢ University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu State (UNN)
➢ Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State (FUOYE)
➢ Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State (ABU)
➢ Bayero University, Kano, Kano State (BUK)
➢ Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State (UNIZIK)
➢ Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State (OAU)
➢ University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State (UNIJOS)

Top 10 Most Sought-After Polytechnics in Nigeria:

➢ Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, Kaduna State
➢ Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Kwara State
➢ Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State
➢ Yaba College Of Technology, Yaba, Lagos State
➢ Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State
➢ Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Lagos State
➢ Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, Nasarawa State
➢ School of Nursing and Midwifery, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi
➢ The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State
➢ Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State

Top 10 Schools Who Admitted Most Students

UNIVERSITIES:

➢ University Of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State
➢ University Of Benin, Benin City, Edo State
➢ University Of Maiduguri, Borno State
➢ University Of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State
➢ Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State
➢ University Of Port Harcourt, Rivers State
➢ University Of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
➢ Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State
➢ Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State
➢ University Of Lagos, Lagos State

POLYTECHNICS:

➢ Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, Kaduna State
➢ Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos State
➢ Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Lagos State
➢ Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State
➢ The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State
➢ Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State
➢ Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Bauchi State
➢ Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State
➢ Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State
➢ Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Afikpo, Ebonyi State

COLLEGES OF EDUCATION:

➢ Federal College of Education, Zaria
➢ Federal College of Education (Tech.), Gombe
➢ Federal College of Education, Kano
➢ Federal College of Education, Pankshin
➢ Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan-Waya, Kafanchan
➢ Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo
➢ College of Education, Akwanga
➢ FCT College of Education, Zuba
➢ Federal College of Education (Tech.), Potiskum
➢ Federal College of Education, Abeokuta

Eye-Opening Stories from JAMB Policy Meeting

“I made Mistake”

▪ Candidate initially upload genuine O’ level results to JAMB on CAPS

▪ Upload fake result with higher grades to the portal of the institution

▪ The fake result boost the ranking of the candidate at the institution

▪ The fake result is then substituted with genuine one (with lower grades)

▪ JAMB spot-checked and accused the institution of manipulation – Unilorin 2019 experience at registration point

▪ Results provided on CAPS are to be used for ranking

▪ It will be downloaded by the institutions

▪ No candidate is required to do any other upload until he/she is admitted

▪ Result Download by institutions from CAPS has been made mandatory

Skipping of Merit Candidates

CLAIM:
A candidate wrote to the Board that University of Benin denied her admission to Doctor of Pharmacy. The University claimed it was as a result of quota.

FACT:
▪ The candidate has all requirements to be admitted on merit

▪ She ranked as one of the best 30 for the programme

▪ JAMB adjusted the quota by two spaces to accommodate her because two other candidates who took her place had accepted admission

Under-the-table Admissions

 BABCOCK issued a ‘Provisional Undergraduate Admission” to candidate already admitted in FUTA

FACT:
▪ The candidate had completed the process in FUTA

▪ The University asked the candidate through a third-party to request for new admission letter without going through FUTA

▪ IMPOSSIBLE

Varying Minimum UTME Score

REQUEST:
▪ OAU requested 200 as institutional minimum UTME score for all programmes

▪ 180 was requested for pre-degree and Adeyemi COE candidates

JAMB POSITION:

▪ 180 becomes the institutional minimum UTME score for all

▪ Pre-degree programme candidates are not supposed to be inferior

▪ Adeyemi COE holds the degree of OAU cannot have another minimum score different from the B.Ed of OAU

JAMB Result Upgrade Scam Exposed

CASE 1

CLAIM:
A candidate complained that he first saw 220, then 183 and wanted 220 restored.

FACTS:
▪ He actually scored 183

▪ JAMB involved FCCPC

▪ The father refused investigation

▪ JAMB moved to prosecute both father and candidate

UTME / DE Registration Statistics (2015-2021) 📊

From UTME and Direct Entry (DE) Registration statistics (2015-2019), it was revealed that this year (2019) was the highest. 

The table below shows the Statistics of UTME and Direct Entry registration from 2015 to 2019. 

Mobile users should scroll the table to the side to view the full content. 

YEAR	UTME	DE	TOTAL
2015	1,475,600	168,472	1,644,072
2016	1,592,462	172,397	1,764,859
2017	1,722,269	160,290	1,882,559
2018	1,653,127	139,891	1,793,018
2019	1,886,509	103,173	1,989,682
2020	1,949,983	160,640	2,110,623
2021	1,351,284

JAMB's Response to Forgers and Fraudsters 🛡

JAMB has reported the continued activities of fraudsters who forge the Registrar's signature and spread fictitious news, such as claims that the JAMB website crashed and all examinations were cancelled. In response, JAMB is taking the following actions:

▪ Partnering with Security Operatives: Collaborating with security operatives and relevant agencies to combat cybercrimes.

▪ Engaging Cybercrime Experts: Sponsoring and engaging experts in cybercrime to leverage their knowledge and skills.

▪ Moving Services to Registration Portal: Shifting some services to the main registration portal to prevent the extortion of candidates.

Download the Presentation of “JAMB Policy Meeting”. 

Just like we promised, click the download button to download the presentation of the JAMB registrar in the 20th Policy meeting with stakeholders

🗁 Download PDF