BY NGOZI A. NWANKWO

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that public universities in Nigeria must complete their 2025 admission processes by October 31, 2025, while private universities must wrap up by November 30, 2025, and all other tertiary institutions by December 31, 2025.

In a statement after the 2025 Policy Meeting chaired by the Honourable Minister of Education, JAMB confirmed:

“Public universities: to complete admissions by 31st October, 2025. Private universities: to complete admissions by 30th November, 2025. All other institutions (public and private): complete admissions by 31st December, 2025,” the board stated.

JAMB urged all institutions to act ahead of these deadlines, noting that even where an institution is not yet ready to commence the new academic session, such an institution should conduct its admission and archive it.

“By this policy directive, all admission processes must be concluded within the prescribed timelines,” they said.

The board explained that the decision was taken to stabilise the academic calendar and ensure equitable access to admission slots across all tiers of tertiary education in the country

It directed institutions conducting post-UTME exams to complete the process on time to meet the 2025 admission deadlines.

“Consequently, institutions conducting post-UTME screenings are expected to conclude those exercises in good time to comply with the 2025 admission schedule,” they said.

JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, warned that institutions failing to submit their matriculation lists for the 2022 and 2023 admission sessions will not have their admissions approved for the 2024 and 2025 exercises.

This stern directive was issued following a persistent failure by some institutions to forward their matriculation lists to the Board, some of which have not made any submission in the last three academic sessions.

The move is part of JAMB’s ongoing effort to curb admission fraud through the automation of the National Matriculation List (NML), which confirms students’ admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions via the Board’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).

Submission of the NML is also required for institutions to compete for the National Tertiary Admission Performance-Merit Award (NATAP-M Award).

To ensure compliance, the Registrar directed that an advert be placed in major newspapers warning that admissions from defaulting institutions will not be approved. Admissions Desk Officers were instructed to strictly enforce the directive.