501 visually impaired candidates to sit for UTME in 2025 – JAMB 

Chairman of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), Prof. Emeritus Peter Okebukola, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing held in Abuja.

The JAMB Equal Opportunity Group was established in 2017.

The group is tasked with ensuring a fair and inclusive UTME process for visually impaired and other special needs candidates.

According to Okebukola, the examination for visually impaired and other special needs candidates will cover 20 subjects.

“The candidates take the same test papers as their sighted counterparts. Standards are not lowered in any form,” he said.

He emphasized that the process mirrors that of the general UTME to ensure equity and uphold academic standards.

Okebukola further revealed that 84 visually impaired candidates who have at least five credits in their Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) will receive a refund of their UTME registration fees at their respective examination centres.

Okebukola noted that many of the centre coordinators are seasoned administrators and former university vice-chancellors.

He stated that in 2024, about 70% of the candidates under JEOG, including the visually impaired and albinos, gained admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

These candidates were admitted into courses including law, special education, computer science, medicine and surgery, various education disciplines, mass communication, civil engineering, pharmacy, nursing science, and business administration

Some of the institutions that offered admission to JEOG candidates include:

Others are scattered across the country.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced in February 2025 that all Foreign, Blind, Deaf, and Prison Inmates are to be exempted from pre-admission screening tests usually conducted by tertiary institutions in Nigeria in their institutions of choice.

The Coordinator noted that this initiative would eliminate barriers for disabled and incarcerated candidates who may not meet regular institutional screening requirements due to their unique circumstances.