The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reported that a total of 420,674 candidates have been registered for the 2025/2026 examination as of Monday afternoon.
Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the JAMB Registrar, made this announcement during an inspection of Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers in Ilorin. He stated that 32,435 candidates registered on that particular day alone, and that 124,632 candidates have enrolled for the mock examinations.
JAMB has set an ambitious target of registering up to two million candidates for the upcoming exams. However, Professor Oloyede expressed concern regarding the rising number of underage candidates, revealing that 4,997 applicants under the age of 16 have already registered. He criticized parental pressure on children to pursue early education as a means to enhance their social standing.
“Previously, the number of underage candidates was approximately 300. Now, merely five days into the registration process, we are nearing 5,000. By the end of today, that figure will exceed expectations,” stated Professor Oloyede.
He clarified that underage candidates must sign an indemnity form, which stipulates that they are expected to meet academic standards or face penalties should they fail to perform as claimed.
Moreover, JAMB has taken stringent measures against examination malpractice by permanently blacklisting six individuals, which includes a senior university official currently facing legal action. The registrar also disclosed that ten institutions were identified as engaging in the unauthorized registration of candidates during nighttime hours.
Following his assessments of the CBT centers, Professor Oloyede expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing registration process, commending JAMB personnel, security agencies, and other stakeholders for upholding high operational standards.