The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for underage candidates.
The results were released for candidates and their parents or guardians to view, but JAMB clarified that the release does not automatically make underage candidates eligible for admission.
The Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.
Benjamin said an underage candidate for the 2026 admission exercise was any candidate who would be below 16 years old as of September 30, 2026.
He explained that the results were released primarily to enable candidates and their parents or guardians to know their performance in the examination.
According to him, the results cannot be used for admission or any other official purpose, except for candidates who satisfy the requirements for exceptional consideration.
Benjamin said candidates could check their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the same SIM card with which they registered for the UTME.
He said JAMB had earlier stipulated that only exceptionally performing underage candidates who met the prescribed conditions would be considered for admission.
He therefore advised candidates who did not meet the requirements against presenting their results to institutions or individuals in an attempt to secure admission.
The spokesperson said the exceptional admission process was rigorous and involved multiple stages of assessment to ensure that only candidates who demonstrated the required academic maturity and exceptional ability were considered.
Among the requirements, he said, was a minimum UTME score of 320 and at least 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 process was designed to distinguish genuinely exceptional underage candidates from those who simply performed well in the UTME.
He said the assessment process was still ongoing, noting that all stages of verification had yet to be concluded.
According to him, JAMB could not conclude the process until candidates awaiting their National Examinations Council (NECO) results had the opportunity to present 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 JAMB would announce the date for the final assessment of exceptionally performing underage candidates once the NECO results were released.
He stressed that the admission process was not based solely on UTME performance but involved a comprehensive assessment to determine whether candidates met all prescribed requirements.
The spokesperson urged parents, guardians, candidates and members of the public to beware of individuals claiming they could secure admission for underage candidates outside the approved process.
He reiterated that sitting for the UTME and obtaining a result did not guarantee admission, particularly for candidates who had not attained the prescribed admission age.
Benjamin assured the public that the process for exceptionally performing underage candidates would remain transparent, rigorous and merit-based.
He reaffirmed JAMB’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the admission process and ensuring that only candidates who met the established requirements were admitted.
NAN
