The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially released the results of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), conducted across the country between April 24 and May 5. The results were announced on Friday by JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, at the Board’s headquarters in Bwari, Abuja.
According to Oloyede, out of the over 2 million candidates who registered for the 2025 UTME, a total of 1,911,551 results have been released. However, 39,834 results remain withheld due to various irregularities, including suspected cases of malpractice, identity fraud, and biometric issues. He disclosed that 1,426 of these withheld results are currently under review, while 96 results were outrightly seized for confirmed exam infractions—a slight drop from the 123 withheld in the previous year.
The Board revealed disturbing patterns of fraud uncovered during both registration and examination processes. Among the infractions cited were impersonation at registration points, the use of combined thumbprints from different individuals, and collusion with certain Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers to facilitate multiple registrations. JAMB identified 3,656 candidates whose results were withheld due to “extraneous fingerprints,” which indicate an attempt to bypass biometric verification using prints from individuals other than the registered candidates.
In a related crackdown, 244 candidates were flagged and had their results withheld for participating in so-called “WhatsApp runs,” a method of online cheating coordinated via social media. Furthermore, 2,157 candidates experienced fingerprint rejections due to suspected registration manipulation. These cases are undergoing further investigation, and depending on the outcome, some candidates may be given another opportunity to sit for the examination.
Anambra State recorded the highest number of examination offenders, with 14 suspects currently under interrogation. Lagos followed with 9, Delta had 8, while Kano recorded 7 suspects. States like Kaduna and Rivers had 6 each. JAMB disclosed that 80 individuals are being probed nationwide for their involvement in various forms of misconduct. The Board assured that those found guilty would face legal consequences.
In addition to fraudulent candidates, several CBT centers have come under scrutiny for aiding malpractices. JAMB named and blacklisted four centers for technical and ethical deficiencies: Adventure Associate in Kano, Saadatu Rimi College of Education in Zaria, Soronara Ventures in Imo State, and HSS Amazing in Ogun State. Others, such as Tigh Technologies Limited and Sascon International School in Abuja, were implicated in identity fraud and unauthorized biometric manipulations. Oloyede stated that these centers will face sanctions, and a public blacklist will soon be released detailing their offenses.
The Board also addressed the performance trends in the 2025 UTME. Out of the 1.95 million released results, only 12,414 candidates—approximately 0.63%—scored 300 and above. Another 420,415 candidates scored above 200, placing just over 21% of examinees in the upper tier. A significant portion of candidates, about 50%, scored between 160 and 199, while roughly 25% fell into the 140 to 159 bracket. At the lowest end, about 2% of candidates scored below 140.
Special categories of candidates were also accounted for in this year’s exercise. A total of 41,027 underage candidates were registered, of whom 467 met the Board’s performance threshold, while 50 were flagged for cheating. JAMB also facilitated examinations for 501 candidates with disabilities through its Equal Opportunity Group. Unfortunately, one of these candidates was found to be involved in impersonation.
In a commendable development, 82 inmates in correctional centers across the country participated in the 2025 UTME, signaling the Board’s commitment to inclusivity in educational access.
Despite the challenges and malpractices, Oloyede described the 2025 UTME as one of the most successful examinations in recent times. He attributed this to the effectiveness of newly introduced technological innovations aimed at strengthening examination integrity.
To check their results, candidates are advised to send “UTMERESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the same phone number used for registration. JAMB noted that result printing and other post-exam processes will commence soon.
Professor Oloyede reaffirmed the Board’s zero-tolerance policy toward exam malpractice and emphasized that JAMB would continue to refine its systems to safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s tertiary education admission process.
