333,477 candidates fell short of 200 marks, with only 3,368 scoring 200+
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed that 99% of the 336,845 candidates who sat for the rescheduled Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Lagos and five South-East states scored below 200 out of 400. Only a minimal fraction achieved up to 217 marks, with no high scorers recorded in the affected sessions.
JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, clarified in a Sunday statement that claims of outstanding performances in the initially cancelled exams were “totally unfounded.” He stated: “Only a handful scored up to 217 in the affected sessions, while 99% scored below 200 marks — indicating there were no high scorers.” The board attributed the clarification to attempts by “opportunistic and mischievous individuals” to spread misinformation.
Results for all candidates have now been released, except for those implicated in exam malpractice or slated for mop-up tests. JAMB also confirmed the withdrawal of scores from some previously released results due to security agency findings, with affected candidates notified via SMS, emails, and JAMB profiles.
The rescheduled UTME followed technical disruptions during initial exams in six states, but the latest data underscores widespread underperformance, raising fresh concerns over Nigeria’s education standards.