JAMB moves to condone illegally admitted students in colleges
August 25, 2026 12:05 am
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has written to colleges of education across the country, directing them to submit the complete lists of candidates who were illegally admitted into their institutions for possible condonement.
The directive followed an approval granted by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for the condonement of candidates illegally admitted into colleges of education for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
In the letter addressed to the provosts of the institutions, JAMB requested the disclosure of all candidates whose admissions fell within the category approved for possible condonement.
The letter, signed by the board’s Director of Admissions, Mohammed Babaji, on behalf of the Registrar, stated, “I write to refer to the approval granted by the Honourable Minister of Education regarding the condonement of candidates illegally admitted into Colleges of Education for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 and to request your institution to submit the complete list of all candidates who have been illegally admitted into your College for possible condonement within the approval granted.”
The board directed the institutions to submit the records in Excel format and according to a template attached to the letter.
JAMB also warned the institutions against submitting inaccurate or incomplete information, stressing that the records must be properly verified and endorsed by the provost.
The board said, “The submission should be in Excel format and to follow the attached template.”
It further instructed the institutions to ensure that the information provided was “accurate, complete, and duly endorsed by the Provost,” warning that “any false declaration or omission will not be condoned.”
JAMB said the submissions were required to enable it to process and consider the cases in line with the approval granted by the Minister of Education.
The directive is coming amid longstanding concerns over illegal and irregular admissions in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
JAMB is responsible for regulating admissions into Nigeria’s universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other degree- and diploma-awarding institutions. The board uses its Central Admissions Processing System to provide a centralised platform for processing admissions and maintaining candidates’ admission records.
However, institutions have over the years been found to admit candidates outside the approved admission process. Such practices can result in students being admitted without their records being properly captured in JAMB’s admission system.
The consequences can be significant for affected students, who may encounter difficulties in obtaining recognised admission records or completing processes requiring confirmation of their admission status.
Illegal admissions have also raised concerns about institutions exceeding approved admission quotas, bypassing established admission procedures and admitting candidates who may not have gone through the required JAMB process.
JAMB has repeatedly warned tertiary institutions against circumventing its admission procedures, maintaining that institutions are expected to comply with approved guidelines.
The current exercise provides an opportunity for candidates covered by the ministerial approval to have their cases considered for condonement.
However, the process will depend on the accuracy and completeness of the information supplied by the institutions.
Deborah Tolu-Kolawole is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with four years of experience covering Nigeria’s vast education sector as well as related areas such as politics, health, security, and labour. She blends rigorous reporting with digital storytelling to bring clarity and insight to complex issues affecting learners, educators, and policymakers. Deborah was a nominee for The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) Prize in Journalism, recognising her impactful reporting and contributions to Nigerian media. Her work reflects strong newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a commitment to accurate, audience-focused journalism. In addition to her reporting, she is fluent in multiple languages and serves as a contributing member of The Punch editorial board.
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