The revelation emerged from an institutional analysis conducted by the board and obtained in Abuja on Friday — coinciding with the official closure of the 2025/2026 admission process for public universities nationwide.
According to the breakdown, the institutions with the highest number of infractions include Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, which accounted for 1,847 illegal admissions, and Osun State University, with 492 cases. Other affected institutions include Abubakar Tafari Ali Polytechnic (148), Federal College of Animal and Health Production (66), University of Calabar (28), College of Education, Oro (12), Michael and Cecilia Ibru University (12), Redeemer’s University (five), and Pan-Atlantic University (five).
Smaller infractions were also recorded at Nigerian Army College of Education (two), Kwara State Polytechnic (one), and Best Solution Polytechnic (one), among others.
JAMB defines any admission carried out outside its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) as illegal. CAPS, introduced in 2017, was designed to ensure transparency, fairness, and merit-based selection in Nigeria’s tertiary admission process. Through the platform, candidates can monitor their admission status, accept or reject offers, and verify the authenticity of institutional decisions.
Over the years, the board has repeatedly warned institutions against bypassing CAPS, noting that such actions undermine the credibility of the national admission process.
During the 2025 JAMB Policy Meeting, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, cautioned that severe sanctions would be imposed on institutions found culpable of illegal admissions. He said such penalties could include the withdrawal of institutional assets and disciplinary measures against complicit officials.
“The era of backdoor admissions is over,” Dr. Alausa had declared, stressing that all tertiary institutions must adhere strictly to JAMB’s regulatory framework to uphold academic integrity.
JAMB also reiterated that students who accept admissions not processed through CAPS risk forfeiting eligibility for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. This warning serves as a reminder of the broader implications of non-compliance — not just for institutions, but for candidates themselves.
The board has pledged to continue its monitoring and enforcement efforts to curb illegal admissions, insisting that adherence to CAPS remains the only legitimate pathway to gaining admission into any accredited tertiary institution in Nigeria.
Education stakeholders have since urged stricter compliance with JAMB’s guidelines to restore public confidence in the nation’s higher education admission system.