The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned prospective undergraduates against accepting admissions offered outside its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), stating that such admissions are illegal and may not be recognised.
The warning was issued on Wednesday during the 2026 Annual Education Summit of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) in Abuja.
Speaking during a question-and-answer session, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, represented by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said only admissions processed through CAPS and accompanied by an official JAMB admission letter are valid.
He explained that candidates admitted outside the approved process risk exclusion from JAMB’s official matriculation list, which serves as the record of legally admitted students.
According to him, institutions are also prohibited from admitting candidates beyond their approved carrying capacities, warning that any admission granted above the approved quota would not be recognised by the Board.
Oloyede urged admission seekers to verify that their admissions were processed through CAPS, noting that candidates also have a responsibility to ensure they comply with the prescribed admission procedures.
He added that CAPS had improved transparency in the admission process by enabling candidates to monitor their admission status, assess their competitiveness and make informed decisions when selecting institutions and courses.
The Registrar also advised candidates to safeguard their SIM cards, describing them as critical identity tools in Nigeria’s computer-based examination system. He warned against using pre-registered SIM cards or allowing SIM swaps, saying such practices could expose candidates to identity theft and examination fraud.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, represented by Malam Lawal Faruk, said the Commission would intensify post-matriculation monitoring of universities to ensure compliance with approved admission quotas.
He said NUC officials would inspect institutions after each matriculation exercise to verify admission records and ensure universities had not exceeded their approved carrying capacities.
According to him, although JAMB’s CAPS regulates admissions based on approved quotas, some institutions still circumvent the system, adding that the Commission is considering stricter sanctions as part of proposed amendments to the NUC Act.
On graduate employability, Ribadu said compulsory industrial attachments and internships remained integral parts of university education, while technology was being deployed to improve monitoring and ensure students genuinely participated in the programmes.
He also disclosed that the Commission had developed national guidelines on micro-credentials to enable students acquire additional industry-relevant skills alongside their academic qualifications.
The NUC Executive Secretary said universities were being encouraged to organise regular job fairs and strengthen entrepreneurship education under the General Studies curriculum to better prepare graduates for employment and self-reliance.
On transcript processing, Ribadu said the Commission was working with universities to automate transcript requests while maintaining the institutions’ statutory responsibility for certifying academic records.
He clarified that the Federal Government’s moratorium on private universities applies only to new applications for operating licences and does not affect institutions already undergoing the approval process.
Ribadu also disclosed that the NUC had introduced a national policy on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in universities and would begin annual compliance assessments to promote the ethical application of AI in teaching, learning and research.
He added that universities would be required to submit annual reports on the implementation of the policy, while lecturers would receive training to adapt to AI-driven learning environments.
The summit brought together education stakeholders, policymakers, regulators and journalists to review ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s education sector and explore strategies for improving quality assurance, admissions, innovation and accountability in tertiary education.
