The Federal Ministry of Education has dismissed viral social media claims alleging that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has been scrapped as a requirement for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The clarification followed widespread public misunderstanding of an earlier press release by the ministry, which announced new admission reforms on October 13, 2025. The reform statement was wrongly interpreted by many online users as evidence that the Federal Government had abolished JAMB’s role.
How the Misinformation Started
The October 13 press release outlined updates to admission requirements across tertiary institutions, adjusting subject combinations and minimum credit passes to promote access and equity. However, while the reforms sought to make entry requirements more flexible, they did not remove JAMB’s statutory role in conducting entrance examinations and coordinating admissions.
Misinterpretations of the statement quickly spread across social media platforms, fueling claims that students would no longer need to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to gain admission into universities and other higher institutions.
Ministry’s Official Clarification
In a follow-up press release dated October 16, 2025, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, categorically debunked the circulating reports, describing them as “false, misleading, and unfounded.”
“JAMB remains the sole statutory body legally empowered to conduct entrance examinations and coordinate admissions into all tertiary institutions in Nigeria,” Dr. Alausa stated.
“The Ministry has not issued any policy or directive discontinuing JAMB’s role. The admission process through JAMB remains fully operational.”
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency, merit, and due process in the education sector, urging the public, especially prospective students and parents to rely only on official government channels for verified information.
Clarification on the Reforms
According to the ministry, the October 13 reforms were introduced to streamline admission processes and ensure fairness without lowering academic standards. The adjustments focused on subject combinations and credit pass requirements but retained JAMB-administered examinations as a central component of tertiary admission procedures.
Conclusion
All claims suggesting that the Federal Government has scrapped JAMB’s role in tertiary admissions are false. The Ministry of Education emphasized that JAMB remains fully functional and authorized to manage the admission process across Nigeria’s universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
“The public should disregard unfounded reports and continue to obtain accurate updates from the Ministry of Education and JAMB’s official platforms,” the statement concluded.
Verdict: False!
The claim that the Federal Government has abolished JAMB as a requirement for tertiary admissions is false. The confusion arose from a misinterpretation of the Ministry’s October 13 press release on admission reforms.
