JAMB Warns Candidates Against Illegal Admissions Outside CAPS

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned admission seekers against accepting admissions offered outside its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), stressing that such admissions are illegal and may not be recognised by the Board.

JAMB said candidates who obtain admission through the "backdoor" without a valid JAMB admission letter risk being excluded from the official matriculation list and may eventually lose recognition as legitimate students.

The warning was issued on Wednesday during the 2026 Annual Education Summit organised by the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) in Abuja.

Speaking during a question-and-answer session, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, represented by the Board's Public Communication Adviser, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, reiterated that every valid admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions must be processed through CAPS.

"We have made it abundantly clear. For you to be regarded as duly admitted, you must print your JAMB admission letter. If an institution gives you admission through the back door without JAMB documentation, that is an illegal admission," he said.

According to him, candidates who accept admission on CAPS and print their JAMB admission letter are automatically added to the Board's matriculation list, which serves as the official database of legally admitted students.

Prof. Oloyede also warned tertiary institutions against admitting candidates beyond their approved carrying capacities, stating that JAMB would not recognise such admissions.

"If a programme has approval to admit 50 students, it cannot admit 51. That extra candidate becomes an illegal admission because the name will not appear on the matriculation list," he stated.

The Registrar urged candidates to verify that their admissions are processed through CAPS, warning that those who ignore the procedure could face serious consequences.

"It is not JAMB's responsibility to fight such battles. Candidates must ensure their admissions are processed through CAPS. Otherwise, they stand the risk of being stranded," he added.

Preparing to sit for UTME? Download ExamGuide UTME Practice App from www.examguide.com/offline/products/utme

He further noted that CAPS has improved transparency in the admission process by allowing candidates to assess their admission chances, compare their scores with admission requirements and make informed decisions when selecting institutions and courses.

According to him, highly competitive courses such as Medicine, Law and Nursing naturally require higher scores due to increased demand, while candidates with lower scores can improve their chances by considering less competitive programmes or institutions.

"The system now enables candidates to know where they stand. It helps them make informed decisions rather than applying blindly," he said.

The JAMB Registrar also advised candidates to safeguard their SIM cards, describing them as critical identity tools in Nigeria's computer-based examination system.

He warned against buying pre-registered SIM cards or carrying out SIM swaps, noting that such actions could expose candidates to identity theft and examination fraud.

"Your SIM card is your identity. Once you lose control of it, you may lose everything linked to your identity. Candidates must protect their SIM cards because they are now unique identifiers," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced plans to intensify monitoring of universities to curb illegal admissions beyond approved quotas.

Preparing to sit for UTME? Download ExamGuide UTME Practice App from www.examguide.com/offline/products/utme

The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, represented by Malam Lawal Faruk, said the Commission would begin stricter post-matriculation inspections to ensure institutions comply with their approved carrying capacities.

"We are determined to stop the abuse. After every matriculation exercise, NUC will visit universities to verify that institutions have not exceeded their approved admission quotas," he said.

Ribadu acknowledged that although JAMB's CAPS already regulates admissions based on approved quotas, some institutions still attempt to bypass the system.

He disclosed that the Commission is considering tougher sanctions as part of ongoing amendments to the NUC Act to discourage such practices.

Preparing to sit for UTME? Download ExamGuide UTME Practice App from www.examguide.com/offline/products/utme

The NUC Executive Secretary also revealed that the Commission has introduced a national Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy for universities and will commence annual compliance monitoring to ensure institutions adopt the framework and promote the ethical use of AI in teaching, learning and research.

According to him, universities will be required to submit annual reports on the implementation of the AI policy, while lecturers will receive capacity-building support to effectively manage AI-driven learning environments.

Ribadu further stated that the Commission is strengthening graduate employability through compulsory industrial attachments, national micro-credential guidelines, entrepreneurship education and regular university job fairs.

He also disclosed that efforts are ongoing to automate transcript processing across universities, while clarifying that the Federal Government's moratorium on private universities applies only to fresh licence applications and does not affect institutions already undergoing approval processes.