Techeconomy analyzed data released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) which shows that most of the top-performing candidates selected programmes linked to computer science, software engineering, electrical/electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, and mechatronics engineering.

Out of the top nine candidates listed, six chose technology and engineering-related courses, while three opted for medicine and computer science-related programmes.

Miss Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin from Ekiti State, who emerged the overall highest scorer with 372, selected MBBS at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as her first choice institution.

However, the broader trend among the top scorers points to growing interest in Nigeria’s digital economy and emerging technologies.

Enwere Kingsley Ikenna from Imo State, who scored 370, chose Computer Science at Nile University of Nigeria, while Bamisile Ayomide Emmanuel from Ondo State, with 369, selected Software Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).

Similarly, Olabiyisi Olanrewaju Oluwatimileyin from Oyo State, who scored 368, opted for Mechatronics Engineering at Pan-Atlantic University.

Other top candidates also leaned heavily toward engineering and computing disciplines. Victor-Onyeka Daniel Ifeanyi from Imo State selected Electrical/Electronic Engineering at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), while Osagiobare Daniel Osahenrumwen from Edo State chose Mechanical Engineering at the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

Ademiluyi Adebowale Anthony from Osun State picked Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), while Azuike Kenechukwu Anthony from Anambra State selected Software Engineering at Afe Babalola University (ABUAD).

Candidates ranked ninth also reflected similar preferences. Offorkile Michael Okechukwu from Abia State and Adebisi Eniola Sonari from Ogun State both chose Computer Science at the University of Ibadan and Covenant University respectively, while Umukoro Gift Oghenevovwero from Delta State selected Electrical/Electronic Engineering at Pan-Atlantic University.

Analysts believe the trend reflects increasing awareness among Nigerian youths about opportunities in artificial intelligence, software development, robotics, cybersecurity, automation, and digital infrastructure.

The dominance of STEM-related courses among the highest scorers also aligns with ongoing government and private-sector investments in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem, which continues to create demand for highly skilled digital talent.

Interestingly, private universities featured prominently among the preferred institutions of the top candidates, with Nile University, Pan-Atlantic University, Covenant University, and ABUAD attracting some of the country’s best-performing students.

Education stakeholders believe the development signals growing confidence in private tertiary institutions, particularly in technology-focused education and industry-driven learning models.

The 2026 UTME results have continued to generate nationwide conversations around academic excellence, digital skills development, and the future workforce needed to power Nigeria’s innovation economy.

The newly launched centres are in Ikota along the Lekki axis of Lagos State and at ICAPS on Egbu Road in Owerri, Imo State.

This expansion brings Teesas Education’s total number of JAMB tutorial centres to four, strengthening its footprint and enabling the edTech company to reach more students across Nigeria.

Osayi Izedonmwen, Chairman and Founder, Teesas Education, described the expansion as a continuation of the company’s mission to improve UTME performance nationwide.

“Over the past few years, we have been immensely concerned about the consistently low pass rates in the UTME. Our journey began with a simple question: why were so many bright students underperforming? Through extensive research, we discovered that most students were relying on multiple, inconsistent preparation materials that left critical gaps in their understanding. That insight spurred us to build a unified system, one that combines structured teaching, technology-enabled practice, and data-driven feedback.

We tested our model for the UTME tutorial classes in 2024, and it yielded a 97 per cent pass rate. That success gave us the confidence to roll out the UTME preparation programme fully.

By 2025, our students achieved a 98 per cent pass rate, proving that when you give students the right tools, they can achieve phenomenal results.

This expansion is in continuation of our mission to close the learning gap and ensure that every student, regardless of background or location, has a real chance to excel in the UTME.”

To ensure accessibility for all students, Teesas Education also offers virtual learning options. Students who are unable to attend physical classes can join the JAMB classes online, gaining access to the same expert tutors, weekly assessments, and structured learning system available at physical centres.

This hybrid approach allows Teesas Education to support students across different locations in Nigeria.

A key feature of Teesas Learning Centres is the mandatory pre-assessment test for all new students, followed by weekly computer-based mock exams designed to track progress and strengthen exam readiness.

Sixteen-year-old Osemudiamen Ahabue, one of Teesas’ standout performers in the 2025 UTME, shared his experience.

He explained that Teesas covered the syllabus quickly, helping him identify his weak spots and prompting him to revisit those topics and study them harder.

In addition, the mock tests that closely simulated the UTME environment gave him a vivid understanding of what to expect on exam day and boosted his confidence.

Another student, Araoluwa David Ashiru, a sixteen-year-old student of Whitesands School, who scored 349 in the last UTME, described the Teesas approach as “an almost foolproof way to score above 300 in JAMB.”

“Teesas helped me achieve 349 by teaching me time management and covering a huge syllabus in a short period. The CBTs were very thorough, and after the tests, I would review the areas in which I performed poorly and study them more thoroughly. If you want to score above 300, come to Teesas,” he said.

As part of its commitment to improving exam readiness, Teesas Education also offers its Matric service,  a comprehensive digital resource that gives students access to 40 years of past JAMB questions.

The platform enables learners to practise extensively, identify patterns, and build confidence through repeated exposure to real exam formats.

This service complements both the physical and virtual classes, ensuring continuous learning and revision.

With its expanded network of learning centres, robust digital tools, virtual learning options, and a proven track record of high performance, Teesas Education continues to position itself as a leading force in transforming exam preparation and improving learning outcomes for Nigerian students.

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A statement issued by Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the secretary to the State Government, said the cancellation was to enable candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to participate in the exam scheduled for that day freely.

The government urged the good people and residents of the state to clean up their surroundings as usual, but emphasized that there would be no restriction of movement.

Meanwhile, the Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) has released an updated statement dated Tuesday, April 22, 2026 announcing the cancellation of the exercise.

The directive by Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board follows the recent reversal of the mandatory 18-year admission age benchmark introduced by Tahir Mamman, the former Minister of Education.

The current education minister, Olatunji Alausa, reinstated the previous benchmark of 16 years, a move widely supported by stakeholders in the education sector.

Speaking during a recent meeting with key stakeholders—including Chief External Examiners, Chief Technical Advisors, and members of the Equal Opportunity Group— Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar of JAMB, stated that while the 16-year age requirement remains the standard, exceptional candidates under the age of 16 may be granted admission under strict conditions.

A transcript of the meeting, published in JAMB’s bulletin quoted Oloyede as saying:

“This is about complying with the law. Age plays a crucial role in maturity and academic development. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have age limits for leadership positions such as local government chairman. Biological age is linked to intellectual growth, and while rules exist, there must be room for exceptions.

“The Minister of Education has clearly stated that the minimum age for admission remains 16. However, we acknowledge that some gifted children exist. These individuals should not be overlooked. We must identify them and allow them to sit for the exams.”

Oloyede emphasised that exceptional students must demonstrate outstanding academic ability across multiple assessments, including the UTME, WASSCE, Post-UTME, and GCE O/Level.

“If a candidate under 16 scores 200 out of 400 in the UTME, can they truly be considered exceptional? However, if they achieve 80% (320/400), that signals exceptional ability and warrants consideration,” he added.

He, however, expressed concerns over the role of private universities in admitting underage students, stating that many of these candidates struggle academically, with up to 80 per cent eventually being transferred to other programmes due to poor performance.

Oloyede also condemned the manipulation of birth records by parents seeking early admission for their wards, only to later attempt to alter their ages for eligibility in the National Youth Service Corps programme.

Recently in Lagos, the JAMB Registrar disclosed that the exam body had introduced a mock UTME for underage candidates.

Oloyede explained that the mock UTME is not for the purpose of tertiary institution admission but for underage seeking to test their ability.

“We are starting the sale of forms on the 31st of January till 5th of March. There will be a mock exam on the 23rd of February and on the 8th of March there will be UTME,” the JAMB Registrar said.

[Source: PUNCH]

But this is different from the ‘JAMB Direct Entry’ form. As a JAMB Direct Entry candidate, you can apply for university admission without needing to take the UTME (Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination).

Meanwhile, you can apply for JAMB Direct Entry only at JAMB offices.

In other words, you cannot apply for both JAMB DE and UTME in the same year.

The JAMB Direct Entry form is an online application form. You need to fill and submit it on the jamb portal.

JAMB only recognises and accepts twelve qualifications/certificates.

Statement of result is accepted for registration only within three years of the date of award.

Upgrade from UTME to DE is available only to candidates whose DE results have not been released at the point of UTME registration and those who indicated at the point of registration that he/she is awaiting A-level results.

The DE fee for the 2024/2025 session is tagged at N3,500. Other payments include N700 for the CBT Centre registration service charge, N1,500 for the CBT Centre service charge for mock/UTME and N500 for bank charges/commission.

This amounts to N6,200 for candidates who are not sitting for the MOCK examination and N7,700 will be paid by those who would sit for the MOCK examination.

You must have a National Identification Number.

How to pay

The following are the methods of payment that can be explored by interested candidates.

1. Bank payment: You can use the e-PIN generated on the JAMB portal to pay.
2. Online payment: Use your ATM card or USSD code on the JAMB portal to pay.
3. POS payment: You can pay with POS at any accredited CBT or JAMB office.

To register, follow the steps below:

1. Create your JAMB profile.
2. To create your JAMB profile, send your NIN to 55019 or 66019 as a text message. Write ‘NIN’ then space and add your 11-digit NIN number and send to 55019 or 66019.

E.g NIN 00123456789

Note that there should be space between the word NIN and your 11-digit NIN

After that, you will receive a confirmation code.

JAMB has also rolled out the registration process for interested candidates across the country.

Ishaq Oloyede, the JAMB Registrar, during a meeting with media executives in Lagos State on Sunday, said that measures have been put in place to ensure a smooth exercise.

Oloyede said, “Prior to the commencement of the registration exercise, the Board conducts an accreditation exercise to check the suitability of each CBT Centre for the conduct of its examination.”

Oloyede noted that members of the accreditation team of the CBT centres for the 2024 UTME included the Chief External Examiners (VCs/Rectors/Provosts), Technical Advisors, JAMB state coordinators and JAMB Technical Officers.

As contained in the presentation by the exam body to the relevant stakeholders, part of the procedures for the registration is that candidates are expected to create a profile through the National Identity Number at various Computer-Based Test centres across the country.

To register, candidates are also expected to generate their profile with the use of either JAMB USS codes 55019 or 66019.

The registrar, however, warned that “Only one sort code is allowed to avoid multiple charges.”

This, Oloyede said, is compulsory for candidates, as a unique verification tool to thumbprint to end the registration exercise.

According to the procedure, the registration fee is N3,500 and the payment will be cashless to avoid any extortion.

Meanwhile, according to PUNCH report, JAMB accredited 747 CBT centres for the 2024 UTME across the nation as against the 613 approved centres in 2023.

This means there is an increase of 134 CBT centres for the year’s matriculation examinations.

Lagos tops the list of states with the highest number of accredited centres with 80, followed by Ogun with 44 while Oyo takes the third position with 42 centres.

Zamfara has the lowest number of accredited centres – 6, while both Ebonyi and Kebbi States had 8 centres each. (PUNCH)

According to the examination body, the cost of purchasing the UTME form remained N3,500 from the former fee of N5,000 in 2018 despite an increase in its cost of production.

A statement signed by Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, on Wednesday, December 20, emphasized that the cost of the Board examination fee remained low to ensure that candidates are not overburdened.

Benjamin noted that one of the measures taken in order not to overburden the candidates is to make available its Use of English reading text free of charge through a QR code to ensure that the increase in cost of production is not passed to candidates.

The statement from JAMB reads,

“The attention of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has been drawn to several publications in recent times insinuating that the Board has increased its examination registration fee.

“This is far from the truth as the cost of obtaining the Board’s UTME application documents remains N3,500, which has been the cost of its application documents since it was brought down from N5,000 in 2018. Therefore, the Board wishes to state that the cost of the application document price has not been increased in spite of the prevailing economic reality in the country which has also affected the cost of the Board’s operations.

“Consequently, the Board wishes to assure the general public that the Board has been doing all within its powers to ensure that candidates are not overburdened in any way.

“One of these measures is to deliberately keep cost low hence its decision to make available its Use of English reading text free of charge through a QR code to ensure that the increase in cost of production is not passed to candidates. Therefore, all UTME candidates would access the reading text free of charge through multiple channels, which include their profiles, e-mail addresses, notification slips and the Board’s website.’’

The examination body added,

“It is, however, pertinent to state the fact that what is being perceived in some quarters as an increment in its fees is nothing other than the fallout of its cashless policy through which all fees payable by candidates to CBT centres have been consolidated and are paid along with their application fees to prevent their wanton exploitation by unscrupulous centre owners.

“These fees are in turn remitted to partnering centres every week. For instance, candidates are expected to pay N700 for registration, N1500 as examination fees, and N1500 for the optional Mock-UTME at privately – owned centres.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the 2024 UTME/DE e-PIN remains N3500. The registration fee of N700, which is to be paid to CBT centres by candidates, is now to be collected by the Board along with N1500, which is the cost of setting the main UTME, and N1500 as the cost of the optional Mock-UTME etc is to be collected by the Board on behalf of the CBT centres.”

Background

Techeconomy had on December 19 reported that JAMB had announced an increase in the registration fees for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for the year 2024.

The report indicates that the revised registration fees are as follows: N7,700 for UTME registration, inclusive of a mock examination, and N6,200 for UTME registration without the mock examination.

Before this adjustment, the JAMB form without a mock exam was priced at N5,700, while the application form inclusive of a mock exam cost N6,700.

JAMB also indicated that application documents for foreign candidates will be available at $30.

A breakdown of these fees is expected to be provided by JAMB when it releases the registration details on or before January 15, 2024.

Ejikeme claimed to be the top scorer of the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Osigwe took to Twitter to express his belief that there is more to the story and that a proper investigation should be conducted to uncover the truth.

Osigwe stated that he had personally met Ejikeme and believed she did not have the capability or intelligence to manipulate her exam results.

He mentioned that Ejikeme was considered one of the brightest students in her school, and her parents could not afford to pay for her other exams, such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO).

Osigwe questioned the motive behind her alleged manipulation of the JAMB score, highlighting the importance of allowing the less privileged to have equal opportunities.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had denounced Ejikeme for falsely presenting herself as the top scorer. According to JAMB, she manually inflated her UTME score from 249 to 362 and used this inflated score to secure a N3 million scholarship from Innoson Motors.

She was also set to receive an award from the Anambra State Government before her deception was exposed. JAMB further stated that Ejikeme would face prosecution, and her original result would be withdrawn by the board.

The call for an investigation by Innoson Group’s Head of Corporate Communications indicates a desire to uncover the truth behind the allegations of certificate forgery and gain a deeper understanding of the situation

Whiskey, 16, won the grand prize of N7.5 million in scholarship, among other exciting prizes, making her the first female winner of the national competition show in its four-year television run.

Coming in second and third-place were Adesayo Elumaro of The Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State, and Precious Akinyemi of Rhema Chapel International School, Oyo State, who won N4 million and N1 million scholarships respectively.

With over 20,000 applications nationwide from secondary school students who were knocked out during several pre-qualifying stages of the competition, the lucky winners emerged tops owing to their outstanding performances in the competition at different levels including the preliminary and semi-final stages.

The 13-week show, which aired on both domestic and terrestrial television stations, is a platform through which brilliant young Nigerians are encouraged and rewarded for their quest for excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.

Speaking on the essence of the initiative, Oremeyi Akah, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Interswitch, emphasized on the need for more young Africans to tow the STEM path, thereby underscoring the goal ofthe InterswitchSPAK National Science competition.

According to Akah, “Research by the Africa Development Bank (AfDB)  reveals that less than 25% of African higher education students pursue STEM-related career fields.” Based on this premise, she expressed concern about the retrogressive impact this could pose on Africa’s talent pool which may not be opportune to acquire the necessary tech skills to drive innovation on the continent in the near future.

However, she submitted that through initiatives such as the InterswitchSPAK National Science competition, hope holds sway because, “Interswitch is inspired by its vision of a prosperous Africa, driven by the exchange of value and commerce; an Africa where Africans are equipped with the requisite knowledge to solve the unique challenges faced on the continent.”

She added that the reward and prizes totaled at N12.5 million was a way to fund the “dreams and aspirations” of the winners, as they work towards creating an impactful future for Nigeria and Africa in general.

Last season, 16-year-old Jubril Dokun of Brainfield College, Salolo, Lagos State who snagged the first prize, also emerged among the top ten (10) highest scorers in the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exam (UTME).

With a vision of a prosperous Africa, Interswitch has pledged to provide enabling platforms that encourage the future generation of STEM professionals who will contribute to the growth of Nigeria and Africa at large.

This has been evidently demonstrated with InterswitchSPAK rewarding 12 outstanding STEM studentsss with a total of N50 million over the last four years.

The UTME, organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) serves as the national prerequisite for Senior Secondary School candidates to gain admission to higher institutions for advanced studies within Nigeria.

Interestingly, out of over 1.7 million students who wrote the 2022 examination, three Interswitch SPAK alumni emerged among the top 10 candidates nationwide. 

Adebayo Eyimofe, a semi-finalist in the third edition of the InterswitchSPAK competition and a student of Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja, had the highest national score of 362 out of 400 in the UTME.

Two other top InterswitchSPAK 3.0 contestants, Ayo Olumide-Attah of St. Francis Catholic Secondary School, Lagos emerged 6th with a total score of 355 and Jubril Dokun of Brainfield College, winner of the 3^rd edition of the Interswitch SPAK competition emerged 8th with a score of 354.

The InterswitchSPAK competition, a CSR initiative by Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce company, Interswitch, kicked off in 2018 to discover some of the brightest young minds in Africa and to help develop and optimize their talents.

Since inception, InterswitchSPAK has focused on igniting, rewarding, and empowering young African students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), serving as a platform of support for young minds who are poised to bring change to the continent.

Each year, N12.5 million worth of scholarships is given out to the top three winners in the competition.

The InterswitchSPAK platform by Interswitch continues to push the boundaries in its quest for excellence, providing an enabling community for brilliant minds to grow and reach their full potential, utilizing the power of STEM to create homegrown solutions in Africa.

Currently, in its fourth edition, InterswitchSPAK continues to seek out the best science students while also driving an interest in STEM subjects to facilitate socio-economic transformation of the African continent.