- Odibo Victory
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results of underage candidates, with a minimum score of 320 required for consideration for admission.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin. on Saturday in Abuja.
Benjamin clarified that the release of the results did not automatically make all underage candidates eligible for admission, stressing that only those who meet the strict requirements for exceptional consideration would be admitted.
According to him, a candidate is regarded as underage for the 2026 admission exercise if the candidate will be below 16 years of age as of September 30, 2026.
He explained that the results were released mainly to allow candidates, parents and guardians to ascertain their performance in the examination.
However, he noted that the results could not be used for admission or any other official purpose unless the candidate met the conditions set for exceptionally performing underage candidates.
Benjamin said candidates could access their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019 through the same SIM card used during UTME registration.
He recalled that the Board had previously announced that admission consideration would be limited to underage candidates who demonstrated exceptional performance and met all prescribed conditions.
He consequently warned candidates who failed to meet the requirements against presenting their UTME results to institutions or individuals in an attempt to secure admission.
The JAMB spokesperson described the exceptional admission process as a rigorous exercise involving several levels of assessment aimed at identifying candidates with the required academic maturity and exceptional ability.
He said candidates seeking consideration must obtain at least 320 in the UTME and achieve a minimum of 80 per cent 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 explained that the multiple assessment stages were intended to separate genuinely exceptional underage candidates from those who simply recorded high scores in the UTME.
He added that the admission process for exceptionally performing underage candidates was still underway, noting that all required assessments and verification exercises had yet to be completed.
According to him, it would be unreasonable to conclude the process without giving candidates 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 said the Board would announce the date for the final assessment of exceptionally performing underage candidates after the release of the NECO results.
He emphasised that consideration for admission would not be determined solely by UTME scores, but by a comprehensive assessment to establish whether candidates had met all the stipulated requirements.
The spokesperson also cautioned parents, guardians, candidates and members of the public against dealing with individuals who claim they can secure admission for underage candidates outside the approved process.
He reiterated that sitting for the UTME and receiving a result did not guarantee admission, especially for candidates who had not reached the required admission age.
Benjamin assured the public that the assessment and admission process for exceptionally performing underage candidates would remain transparent, rigorous and based on merit.
He further reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the admission process and ensuring that admission was granted only to candidates who met the established requirements.