JAMB deadline extension gives universities more time to submit underage candidates’ Post-UTME scores, ensuring timely admissions for 2025

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board announced the adjustment on Thursday through its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, who said the move followed consultations with affected institutions.

Also read: JAMB underage candidates screening to spotlight exceptional young scholars

He confirmed that 23 of the 71 universities failed to meet the initial deadline of 15 September.

Benjamin revealed that despite the release of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination results by the National Examinations Council, several universities were yet to comply.

He urged them to forward results without further delay to avoid jeopardising the admission process.

The extension sets new cut-off dates: public universities must upload candidates to the Central Admissions Processing System by 30 September, while private universities have until 31 October.

These measures are designed to ensure the broader admission deadlines of 30 October and 30 November respectively are not compromised.

A breakdown shows that the University of Lagos recorded the highest number of underage candidates, with 39. Nile University of Nigeria followed with 18, while Nnamdi Azikiwe University had 15.

Other institutions included the University of Abuja with 12, the University of Uyo with nine, Federal University of Technology Owerri with eight, and David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences with six.

In total, 135 underage candidates are involved across the 23 institutions.

Earlier in August, JAMB announced a special screening for over 500 underage candidates who qualified to move to the next stage of admissions.

The exercise will be conducted by a technical committee between 22 and 26 September at centres in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri.

Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, explained that although over 41,000 underage candidates sat the 2025 UTME, only a fraction met the required standard for admission consideration.

Also read: JAMB registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede rejects bias allegations amidst UTME controversy

The board described the deadline extension as a necessary step to ease pressure on institutions while safeguarding the integrity and timeliness of the admission process.