The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) taken by underage candidates for viewing.
JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.
Benjamin, however, stressed that the release of the results did not automatically make all underage candidates eligible for admission.
He explained that an underage candidate for the 2026 admission exercise is any candidate who will be below 16 years of age as of September 30, 2026.
According to him, the results were released primarily to enable candidates and their parents or guardians to know their performance in the examination.
He said the results could not be used for admission or any other official purpose, except by candidates who satisfy the conditions prescribed for exceptional consideration.
Underage candidates can check their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the same SIM card with which they registered for the UTME.
Benjamin said JAMB had earlier established that only exceptionally performing underage candidates who met the prescribed conditions would be considered for admission.
He advised candidates who did not qualify for exceptional consideration not to present their results to any institution or individual in an attempt to secure admission.
According to the JAMB spokesperson, the exceptional admission process is deliberately rigorous and involves multiple stages of assessment to determine candidates’ academic maturity and exceptional ability.
One of the requirements is a minimum UTME score of 320, alongside 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 added that the assessment process was still ongoing, noting that all stages of verification had yet to be completed.
According to him, the Board would also allow candidates awaiting their National Examinations Council (NECO) results to present them for verification before the process is concluded.
“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 as soon as the NECO results were released.
He stressed that exceptional admission would not be based solely on UTME performance but on a comprehensive assessment to ensure that only candidates who met all the prescribed requirements were considered.
The JAMB spokesperson also urged parents, guardians, candidates and members of the public to beware of individuals claiming to have the ability to 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 assessment and admission 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 satisfy the established requirements are admitted.
