The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has intensified its war against admission racketeering, exposing a total of 2,658 illegal admissions carried out by tertiary institutions across Nigeria during the 2024/2025 academic session.

According to data released in Abuja, the illegal admissions were traced to 17 universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, many of which allegedly violated JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) guidelines. The announcement comes just as public universities wrapped up their 2025/2026 admission exercise.

Breakdown of Affected Institutions

JAMB’s institutional audit revealed that some universities recorded the highest cases of irregular admissions:

1. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University – 1,847 cases
   
2. Osun State University – 492 cases
   
3. Abubakar Tafari Ali Polytechnic – 148 cases
   
4. Federal College of Animal and Health Production – 66 cases
   
5. University of Calabar – 28 cases
   
6. College of Education, Oro – 12 cases
   
7. Michael and Cecilia Ibru University – 12 cases
   
8. Redeemer’s University – 5 cases
   
9. Pan-Atlantic University – 5 cases
   
10. Nigerian Army College of Education – 2 cases
    
11. Kwara State Polytechnic – 1 case
    
12. Best Solution Polytechnic – 1 case
    
13. Other institutions yet to be disclosed.
    

JAMB reiterated that any admission conducted outside CAPS is illegal, warning that both institutions and candidates involved could face serious sanctions.

JAMB, FG Move to Enforce Sanctions

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, at the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions, expressed grave concern over the recurring pattern of illegal admissions. He vowed that the government would impose severe penalties, including withdrawal of accreditation, financial sanctions, and disciplinary actions against officials found culpable.

He further emphasized that CAPS was introduced in 2017 to uphold transparency, fairness, and merit in Nigeria’s admission process.

JAMB also warned that students who accept admissions not processed through CAPS may lose eligibility for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, potentially derailing their academic and professional future.

Students Urged to Verify Admissions

Education experts have condemned the practice as a major threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s higher education system. They urged students to always verify their admission status using JAMB’s official CAPS portal to avoid falling victim to fraudulent offers.

To check admission status:

1. Visit https://efacility.jamb.gov.ng
   
2. Log in with your email and JAMB password
   
3. Click “Check Admission Status” under CAPS
   
4. Enter your JAMB registration number
   
5. Accept or reject your admission as appropriate
   

As JAMB tightens oversight, the message is clear  every valid admission must go through CAPS. Any other process is deemed illegal and void.