In an extraordinary moment of vulnerability rarely seen in Nigeria’s public service, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, broke down in tears as he publicly apologised for the mass failure recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, the Registrar addressed the nation with quivering emotion, conceding that thousands of students had been unjustly affected by a devastating system breakdown.
“Once again, we apologise and assure you that this incident represents a significant setback…” he said, pausing as tears rolled down his cheeks. “We remain committed to our core values of transparency, fearlessness and equity. It is our culture to admit errors because despite our efforts, we are human and we are not perfect. I am sorry.”
According to verified data released by JAMB, a total of 157 out of 887 CBT centres experienced technical malfunctions ranging from frozen screens to incomplete test submissions. These disruptions, which occurred during the nationwide UTME exercise, have been identified as the main reason for the drastically low scores recorded by candidates from the affected centres. A staggering 78,223 students have now been confirmed to have sat their exams in these compromised venues.
The average score from these centres was a mere 19.4%, compared to 52.3% from centres where the systems functioned properly. Analysts say such a discrepancy is unprecedented in JAMB’s history and impossible to attribute to student preparedness alone. “This is not a performance issue; this is a systems failure,” noted Professor Oloyede. “Our technological infrastructure crumbled at the wrong time, and our students bore the consequences.”
To rectify the injustice, JAMB has announced a special emergency resit for all affected candidates. Beginning Thursday, May 16, 2025, students will retake the UTME in new locations under improved supervision. The resit will run through Friday, Saturday and Sunday, primarily covering affected centres in Lagos, Abia, Enugu, Imo, Anambra and other South-East states. JAMB confirmed that students will be contacted to reprint their exam slips and get new details for the rescheduled tests.
“We are implementing stricter surveillance, multi-layered system backups and independent real-time auditing at all CBT centres going forward,” Professor Oloyede explained. “This kind of failure must never be allowed to happen again.”
The fallout from the incident has been severe, with parents, students, and civil society groups criticising the Board for what they described as poor oversight. “This is not just an educational setback; it’s a mental and emotional crisis,” said Mrs. Uloma Chukwu, a parent whose son was affected. “Our children left the halls confused, frustrated and broken. JAMB must account for this.”
JAMB’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle had earlier hinted at the internal crisis with a cryptic post: “Man proposes, God disposes.” That message, which trended nationwide, now stands as a grim reflection of how flawed technology undermined the dreams of thousands.
Despite the criticisms, some education stakeholders have praised the Board for its forthrightness and willingness to take responsibility. “For a government agency to admit fault and make amends so quickly is rare,” said Dr. Mike Ogundele, an education policy consultant. “It doesn’t undo the damage, but it signals institutional maturity.”
JAMB also announced that students with timetable clashes due to the resit will be individually rescheduled to prevent overlapping with other national examinations such as NECO and NABTEB. Special consideration will also be given to students in security-compromised zones, who may require relocation to safer centres.
As the Board races to implement its emergency plans, the emotional image of Professor Oloyede — a man known for his rigid professionalism — weeping before the nation has become the defining symbol of this year’s UTME. In the end, his apology may not erase the pain, but it has opened a conversation on integrity, responsibility, and the urgent need for technological reform in Nigeria’s education system.
