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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released the results of all underage candidates who participated in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination for viewing.
The Board said the decision was in line with its established policy on the participation of candidates below the prescribed admission age.
In a statement on Saturday, JAMB’s Acting Director of Public Affairs and Protocol, Fabian Benjamin, defined an underage candidate for the 2026 admission exercise as anyone who will be below 16 years old as of September 30, 2026.
However, the Board clarified that releasing the results for viewing does not automatically make every underage candidate eligible for admission into a tertiary institution.
According to JAMB, the results were primarily released to enable candidates, parents and guardians to know how the candidates performed in the examination.
To check their results, candidates are required to send RESULT to 55019 or 66019 using the same telephone number used to register for the UTME.
The Board stressed that the results cannot be used for admission or any other official purpose, except for candidates who meet its stringent requirements for exceptional underage candidates.
“Candidates who do not meet the requirements for exceptional consideration should not present their viewed results to any institution or individual for the purpose of securing admission,” the statement said.
Minimum score required
JAMB said only exceptionally performing underage candidates who satisfy all the prescribed conditions would be considered for admission.
Among the requirements is a minimum UTME score of 320, as well as a minimum of 80 per cent in relevant Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination subjects, where applicable.
Such candidates must also satisfy the Post-UTME requirements of their chosen institutions and undergo a final assessment by experts.
The Board explained that the rigorous process was designed to distinguish genuinely exceptional underage candidates from those who simply performed well in the UTME.
Assessment still ongoing
JAMB said the assessment and verification process for exceptionally performing underage candidates had not been concluded.
The Board noted that it would be unfair to conclude the process before candidates awaiting their National Examinations Council results had the opportunity to submit them for verification.
It said the NECO results had not yet been released and that the final stage of the assessment would therefore be conducted after their release.
JAMB said it would announce a date for the final assessment once the NECO results become available.
The Board emphasised that consideration for admission is not based solely on UTME performance but involves a comprehensive assessment to determine whether candidates meet all the prescribed requirements.
It also urged parents, guardians, candidates and members of the public to be wary of individuals claiming they could secure admission for underage candidates outside the official process.
JAMB reiterated that sitting for the UTME and receiving a result do not, by themselves, guarantee admission, particularly for candidates who have not attained the prescribed admission age.
The Board assured the public that the process for exceptionally performing underage candidates would remain transparent, rigorous and merit-based.
