Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has announced the release of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, results of underage candidates.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin.

Benjamin, however, clarified that the release of the results does not automatically make all underage candidates eligible for admission, as only those who satisfy the Board’s strict conditions for exceptional consideration can be admitted.

He explained that, for the 2026 admission exercise, an underage candidate is anyone who will not have reached the age of 16 by September 30, 2026.

According to him, the results were released mainly to allow the affected candidates, as well as their parents or guardians, to assess their performance in the examination.

He stressed that the results cannot be used to secure admission or for any other official purpose, except for candidates who meet the conditions established for exceptionally performing underage candidates.

Candidates can access their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the same SIM card used during their UTME registration.

Benjamin said the Board had previously made it clear that admission consideration would only be extended to exceptionally performing underage candidates who fulfil all the prescribed requirements.

He therefore warned candidates who fail to meet the criteria for exceptional consideration against presenting their UTME results to institutions or individuals in an attempt to obtain admission.

The JAMB spokesperson explained that the exceptional admission procedure is intentionally demanding and passes through several stages of assessment to ensure that only candidates with the required academic ability and maturity are considered.

He said one of the key requirements is a minimum UTME score of 320, in addition to at least 80 per cent performance in relevant Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, SSCE, subjects where applicable.

“Such candidates are also required to meet the relevant Post-UTME requirements of their chosen institutions and undergo the prescribed final assessment by experts,” he said.

Benjamin noted that the process was structured to separate genuinely exceptional underage candidates from those who may have simply performed well in the UTME.

He added that the admission process for exceptionally performing underage candidates is still underway, as all stages of assessment and verification have not yet been completed.

According to him, it would be unreasonable to conclude the exercise without giving candidates who are still awaiting their National Examinations Council, NECO, results the opportunity to submit them for verification.

“The NECO results are yet to be released, and the Board would therefore await their release before proceeding to the final stage of the assessment process,” he said.

Benjamin stated that once the NECO results are released, JAMB will announce a date for the final phase of the assessment for exceptionally performing underage candidates.

He emphasised that the ongoing exercise goes beyond UTME scores and involves a comprehensive evaluation designed to ensure that only candidates who genuinely meet all the requirements are considered for admission.

The spokesperson also advised parents, guardians, candidates and members of the public to remain cautious and avoid individuals claiming they can secure admission for underage candidates outside the officially approved process.

He reiterated that sitting for the UTME and having access to the result does not automatically guarantee admission, particularly for candidates who have not reached the stipulated admission age.

Benjamin assured the public that the process for exceptionally performing underage candidates would remain transparent, rigorous and strictly based on merit.

He added that JAMB remains committed to protecting the credibility of the admission system and ensuring that only candidates who meet the established requirements are eventually admitted.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.