THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that over 200,000 additional candidates scored above 200 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) following a resit prompted by technical and human errors.
Initially, over 1.5 million out of 1.9 million candidates scored below the 200 mark in the results released on May 9.
However, after the resit held for 379,000 affected candidates mainly in Lagos and the South-East with the number of candidates scoring below 200 reduced to 1,365,479.
This indicates a significant improvement in overall performance.
According to JAMB, the 2025 exam cycle recorded the highest-ever number of released results: 1,931,467, representing 100% of all candidates. In contrast, 1,842,364 results were released in 2024.
Notably, 565,988 candidates (29.3%) scored 200 and above in 2025, up from 24% in 2024 and 23.36% in 2023. Those scoring 250 and above also rose to 117,373 (6.08%)—a marked increase from 77,070 in 2024 and 56,736 in 2023.
While the majority still scored below 200, the figure 70.7% is a slight improvement over 76% in 2024 and 76.64% in 2023.
JAMB attributed the earlier poor performance to faulty server updates that affected the upload of responses during the first three days of the exam.
The board also revealed widespread examination malpractice involving some candidates, schools, and CBT centres.
The results of the over 41,000 under-16 candidates and the 379,775 candidates who sat the rescheduled Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination in the South East and some Centres in Lagos have also been released by the Board.
“While this situation is unfortunate, it has also revealed numerous alarming practices perpetrated by candidates, certain Proprietors of Schools/Computer-Based Test centres, which have exacerbated examination irregularities,” the board said.
“As part of the healing process, the meeting resolved that the withheld results of the underage candidates (except where litigation is involved) who performed below the established standards be released. Such result does not, however, qualify them for admission, as they had previously signed an undertaking during the registration process acknowledging that only those who meet the prescribed standards would be considered for under-aged special admission.”
While the results of underage candidates were made available, they remain ineligible for admission unless they meet the age and academic requirements previously agreed upon during registration.
The improved performance suggests increasing student familiarity with the Computer-Based Test system, introduced in 2013.
JAMB noted the 2025 results reflect ongoing efforts to enhance examination integrity and delivery.
Further announcements are expected from JAMB on the implications of this year’s results for the admission process into tertiary institutions.
Following the latest update, the number of candidates who scored below 200 in the 2025 UTME has decreased to 1.3 million, down from the initial 1.5 million.
Meanwhile, the total number of candidates who scored 200 and above has risen to 565,988.