2026 JAMB Policy Meeting: Full Details of All Decisions, Discussions and Conclusions Reached Today
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Monday, May 11, 2026, officially held its annual Policy Meeting on Admissions in Abuja to determine the guidelines, policies and benchmarks for the 2026/2027 admission exercise into tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The meeting, chaired by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, brought together vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, heads of regulatory agencies and other stakeholders in the education sector.
The annual policy meeting is one of the most important educational gatherings in Nigeria because it determines how admissions into universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and nursing schools will be conducted nationwide.
Several major decisions were reached during the meeting, including the official minimum cut-off marks for admissions, admission age requirements, deadlines for admission processing, CAPS compliance and new reforms affecting Colleges of Education.
JAMB Retains 150 as Minimum Cut-Off Mark for Universities
One of the biggest announcements from the meeting was the approval of 150 as the minimum admissible score for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2026/2027 academic session.
This means candidates who scored below 150 in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) may not be considered for admission into universities unless special waivers are introduced by regulatory authorities.
According to JAMB, the decision was reached after consultations and voting by vice-chancellors and stakeholders present at the meeting.
However, institutions still have the freedom to fix their own higher cut-off marks depending on the competitiveness of their courses and admission capacity.
Highly competitive courses such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Law, Nursing, Engineering and Computer Science are still expected to require much higher scores in many institutions.
Source:
Channels Television
Approved Minimum Admission Benchmarks for 2026
Apart from universities, JAMB also announced the approved minimum benchmarks for other tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
- Universities: 150
- Colleges of Nursing Sciences: 150
- Polytechnics: 100
- Colleges of Education: 100
The board emphasized that these are only national minimum benchmarks and institutions can still adopt higher standards based on their admission competitiveness.
Source:
Vanguard News
Federal Government Retains 16 Years as Admission Age
Another major issue discussed during the policy meeting was the minimum admission age into tertiary institutions.
The Minister of Education confirmed that the Federal Government has retained 16 years as the official minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
According to the Minister, the decision followed extensive consultations and policy reviews by stakeholders in the education sector.
This means candidates below the age of 16 may generally not be eligible for admission except under special approved circumstances.
Source:
TVC News
UTME Requirement Scrapped for Some Colleges of Education Applicants
One of the most surprising reforms announced during the meeting was the exemption of some candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education from writing UTME.
According to discussions at the meeting, candidates applying for certain Education programmes and Agriculture-related non-engineering courses may no longer need UTME before gaining admission.
The reform is part of efforts by the Federal Government to encourage more students to study education courses and improve enrollment in Colleges of Education nationwide.
Although candidates may still need to register on JAMB CAPS, the UTME examination itself may no longer be compulsory for those specific programmes.
Source:
Blueprint Newspaper
JAMB Declares Off-CAPS Admissions Illegal Again
The issue of illegal admissions also dominated discussions at the meeting.
JAMB warned all institutions against conducting admissions outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
According to the board, any admission not processed through CAPS remains illegal and may create serious problems for students in the future, especially during NYSC mobilization and certificate verification.
Institutions were strongly advised to strictly comply with CAPS regulations to ensure transparency and accountability in the admission process.
The board also stressed the need to eliminate backdoor admissions and admission fraud in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Source:
CampusInfo Nigeria
Admission Timelines and Deadlines Approved
JAMB and stakeholders also approved official timelines for the completion of the 2026 admission exercise.
The approved deadlines are as follows:
- Public Universities — October 31, 2026
- Private Universities — November 30, 2026
- Polytechnics, Monotechnics and Colleges of Education — December 31, 2026
The board warned institutions against delaying admissions beyond the approved deadlines.
According to JAMB, institutions that fail to conclude admissions within the approved period may lose access to candidates on CAPS.
Source:
Legit.ng
Candidates Must Accept Admission Within Four Weeks
Another important conclusion from the meeting is the introduction of a four-week acceptance window for candidates offered admission.
JAMB explained that once an institution offers admission through CAPS, candidates are expected to either accept or reject the admission within four weeks.
Failure to accept the admission within the approved period may lead to cancellation of the admission offer.
Candidates whose admissions are deleted for refusal to accept may also face difficulties securing future admissions.
Importance of O’Level Upload Emphasized
The board also discussed the importance of proper O’Level result upload during the admission process.
Candidates were advised to ensure that their WAEC, NECO or NABTEB results are properly uploaded to the JAMB portal because institutions cannot process admissions without visible O’Level results on CAPS.
Many institutions reportedly complained about delays caused by candidates who failed to upload their results on time.
JAMB also encouraged candidates to use accredited CBT centres for all admission-related processes. Explore More on: Jamb withdraw some 2026 UTME result
Foreign Delegates Attend JAMB Policy Meeting
Interestingly, the 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting also attracted international attention.
A delegation from Sierra Leone attended the meeting to understudy Nigeria’s centralized admission system and CAPS operations.
The delegation reportedly included education officials and university administrators interested in replicating Nigeria’s admission management system in Sierra Leone.
JAMB stated that the visit further confirms the growing international recognition of Nigeria’s centralized admission structure.
Source:
Punch Newspaper
Review of 2025 Admission Challenges
Stakeholders also reviewed several challenges experienced during the previous admission exercise.
Some of the issues discussed include:
- Delays in admission processing
- Illegal admissions outside CAPS
- Awaiting result complications
- Over-subscription of competitive courses
- Institutional quota violations
- Incomplete candidate records
The board promised to strengthen monitoring systems to ensure a smoother and more transparent admission process this year.
More Female Candidates Recorded in Some States
Data reportedly presented during the meeting showed that female candidates outnumbered male candidates in tertiary admission applications across 22 states in Nigeria.
Stakeholders described the development as a positive sign for gender inclusion in higher education.
What Candidates Should Do Next
Following today’s policy meeting, candidates are advised to:
- Upload their O’Level results immediately
- Monitor their CAPS regularly
- Wait for institutional cut-off marks before changing course or institution
- Prepare for Post-UTME screening exercises
- Use only accredited CBT centres for JAMB-related services
Conclusion
The 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting has officially set the stage for the commencement of the 2026/2027 admission exercise across Nigeria.
The decisions reached at the meeting are expected to shape admissions into universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and nursing institutions nationwide.
With the retention of 150 as the university benchmark, the enforcement of CAPS compliance, the retention of 16 years as minimum admission age and the exemption of some Colleges of Education candidates from UTME, the 2026 admission exercise is already shaping up to be one of the most discussed admission cycles in recent years.
Candidates, parents and institutions are therefore expected to closely monitor further announcements from JAMB and individual institutions in the coming weeks.
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