- JAMB recorded 1,009,044 admissions out of 2,007,312 UTME candidates in the 2025 admission cycle across Nigerian tertiary institutions
- Candidates scoring 300 and above achieved the highest admission rate at 75 per cent, according to the released data
- The report showed that more than 997,000 candidates applied within the 160 to 199 range, accounting for the largest share of admissions
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released new figures detailing how candidates were placed in Nigerian tertiary institutions during the 2025 admission cycle.
The data shows that out of 2,007,312 applicants, a total of 1,009,044 were eventually admitted into various programmes across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Source: Facebook
The breakdown was presented at the 2026 National Policy Meeting on admission guidelines and cut-off marks held on Monday, where officials reviewed performance patterns across different score ranges.
Admission outcomes across score bands
According to Punch, the report showed that Direct Entry candidates accounted for 64,480 applications, with 37,918 gaining admission, representing a 59 per cent success rate.
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Among high-performing candidates, those who scored 300 and above recorded 17,189 applications, out of which 12,896 secured admission, translating to a 75 per cent rate.
Candidates in the 250 to 299 range also recorded strong outcomes, with 101,266 applications and 73,944 admissions, representing 73 per cent.
For the 200 to 249 category, 452,838 candidates applied while 268,567 were admitted, reflecting a 59 per cent admission rate.
Mid-range scores dominate admissions
The largest pool of applicants came from candidates scoring between 160 and 199, with 997,811 applications recorded. Out of this number, 494,544 were admitted, representing a 50 per cent success rate.
Source: Twitter
In the lower bands, 331,927 candidates scored between 140 and 159, with 113,049 gaining admission, translating to 34 per cent.
For those in the 120 to 139 range, 39,204 applied and 7,821 were admitted, representing 20 per cent.
The 100 to 119 category recorded 2,597 applications, with only 305 admissions, representing 12 per cent.
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Performance pattern in admissions
The data points to a consistent pattern where candidates with higher UTME scores recorded better chances of gaining admission, particularly those in the 200 and above categories, where admission rates remained relatively strong.
However, the figures also show that admission opportunities were not limited strictly to top scorers. Candidates within the 140 to 199 range still made up a significant portion of admitted students due to variations in institutional cut-off marks and programme requirements across different schools.
Can admission to LASU be bought?
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Lagos State University (LASU) vowed to uphold transparency and merit in its admission process.
LASU was the most preferred institution in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) 2025 UTME application, receiving 79,000 first-choice applications.
LASU asked applicants and the public to resist the temptation of patronising ‘unscrupulous individuals who may falsely claim to sell admission slots’
Source: Legit.ng