The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has flagged 9,469 admissions across 20 Nigerian tertiary institutions as fraudulent, revealing a widespread circumvention of the official Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) during the 2024 academic cycle.
According to a breakdown obtained from JAMB, the highest number of irregular admissions was recorded at Kano State University of Science and Technology, with 2,215 entries declared illegal. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology followed with 1,215 unauthorised offers, while Gombe State University registered 1,164.
Other institutions named include Emmanuel Alayande University of Education (761), Federal University of Technology Owerri (534), Ambrose Alli University (514), Igbinedion University (365), Akwa Ibom Polytechnic (340), and the College of Nursing at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi (281).
Also listed were Achievers University (267), Nigeria Police Academy (263), Abia State Polytechnic (256), Osun State University (224), and Federal University Lafia (189). Others included Niger State Polytechnic, Federal Polytechnic Idah, Edo State Polytechnic, Anchor University, Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, and the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology.
JAMB’s CAPS platform, introduced to standardise and bring transparency to Nigeria’s tertiary admissions process, was designed to ensure that candidates are evaluated fairly and admitted based on merit and institutional criteria. The system allows applicants to monitor their admission status in real-time and prevents backdoor entries.
Yet despite repeated warnings, several institutions continue to operate outside the CAPS framework, exposing both candidates and universities to legal risk. Admissions granted through such unofficial routes are not recognised by JAMB, and affected students are often barred from participating in the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
At last week’s JAMB policy meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, reiterated the federal government’s zero-tolerance stance. “Any admission conducted outside CAPS, regardless of its intentions, is illegal,” Alausa warned. “Both institutions and the candidates involved in such practices will be held accountable.”
He added that offenders could face severe penalties including the withdrawal of institutional privileges and legal action against culpable officials or governing council members.
As JAMB intensifies efforts to enforce compliance, the findings highlight persistent challenges in reforming Nigeria’s higher education sector and the ongoing struggle to uphold transparency and accountability in university admissions.
