More than 75 percent of candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scored below 200, according to official data released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Monday.
Out of a total of 1,955,059 registered candidates, only 420,415 scored 200 and above, representing just over 21 per cent of the total.
A staggering 1,534,654 candidates, or 78.49 per cent, scored less than 200 out of the maximum 400 marks.
JAMB’s data also showed that less than 1 per cent of all candidates managed to score above 300.
The board revealed that 40,247 underage candidates were granted special permission to participate, under a policy aimed at encouraging exceptionally gifted individuals.
However, only 467 of them (about 1.16 per cent) met the board’s benchmark for extraordinary performance. JAMB said their advancement would depend on further evaluations across three additional stages.
In its summary, JAMB noted that 71,701 registered candidates were absent during the examination period.
Additionally, 97 candidates were confirmed to have committed various exam infractions, while 2,157 others are currently under investigation for suspected malpractice.
The board said candidates who experienced biometric verification issues are being reviewed. Those cleared will be rescheduled for a separate sitting.
JAMB also stated that results for blind candidates and others under the JEOG (Joint Examination for the Gifted) category are still being processed.
A press briefing is expected later in the week to inform candidates how to officially access their results
