The JAMB Policy Meeting 2026 held in Abuja today set the official guidelines for admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 academic session. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, emphasized transparency and accountability, warning institutions against illegal admissions outside JAMB’s Central Admission Processing System (CAPS).

Jamb policy meeting 2026

CAPS Enforcement

At the meeting, it was declared that all admissions outside CAPS are illegal. Institutions must process every admission through CAPS, and any attempt to change a candidate’s course without consent will attract sanctions. This move is aimed at protecting students and ensuring fairness in the admission process.

New CAPS Communication Module

JAMB introduced a new Admission Notification/Communication Module under CAPS. This feature will notify candidates once their admission is approved, giving them the option to accept or reject offers. Institutions can now only contact candidates through JAMB, closing loopholes that previously allowed unauthorized communication.

UTME Exemptions and Age Requirement

The JAMB Policy Meeting 2026 announced that candidates applying for Education programmes and Agriculture non-engineering courses are now exempted from UTME.

  • The minimum admission age remains 16 years and above.
  • The Federal Government also confirmed that NCE candidates no longer require UTME for admission.

Declaration of Previous Admission History

A new policy requires candidates to declare any previous JAMB registration or admission history. This was introduced after impersonators were discovered during the 2025 UTME.

  • Candidates may change institutions or start new programmes if properly declared.
  • Running two undergraduate programmes simultaneously or failing to disclose prior records will attract sanctions.

Gender and State Statistics

Statistics presented at the meeting showed that:

  • Female candidates outnumbered males in 22 states, especially in the South-West, South-East, and South-South regions.
  • States like Kwara, Kogi, and Plateau in the North Central zone also recorded higher female participation.

This reflects a growing interest among female students in pursuing tertiary education nationwide.

Top Ten Most Subscribed Institutions

The top universities by first-choice applications for the 2026 UTME are:

  1. Lagos State University (LASU) – 84,426 applications
  2. University of Lagos (UNILAG) – 78,240
  3. Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) – 60,370
  4. University of Ibadan (UI) – 58,895
  5. University of Benin (UNIBEN) – 55,425
  6. Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) – 54,085
  7. University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) – 52,514
  8. University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) – 51,660
  9. Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) – 48,272
  10. University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT) – 48,199

Cut-Off Marks for 2026 Admissions

Heads of institutions agreed on the following minimum admissible scores in the JAMB Policy Meeting 2026:

  • Universities: 150
  • Colleges of Nursing: 150
  • Polytechnics: 100

The deadline for 2026 admissions is October 31, 2026.

Top UTME Scorers

The JAMB Policy Meeting 2026 also celebrated outstanding candidates.

  • Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin from Ekiti State emerged as the highest scorer, achieving 372 marks.
  • She chose the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to study Medicine and Surgery (MBBS).

Her achievement highlights the excellence and determination of Nigerian students.