JAMB reveals only 1.16% of underage UTME candidates excel

Only 1.16% of underage candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) showed exceptional ability, according to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Out of 40,247 underage candidates, 467 scored high enough to be classified under the exceptional ability category.

JAMB released the statistics from a total of 1,955,069 processed results for the year. The board noted that although the underage candidates were permitted to showcase their academic prowess, their performance in subsequent stages is still pending.

It’s worth noting that JAMB had earlier opened the Exceptionally Brilliant Window for candidates below 16, allowing “exceptional” students to register for the UTME, as disclosed by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, in February.

The board also reported examination infractions involving 97 candidates, with 2,157 others undergoing investigations for suspected malpractices. Additionally, 71,701 candidates were absent from the exam. Some candidates facing biometric challenges are under investigation, and those cleared will be rescheduled for examination.

JAMB announced a press conference to provide further updates and enable access to result-checking portals for all candidates. A statistical breakdown of the results showed that most candidates scored below 200, with only 0.63% achieving scores of 300 and above.