JAMB Announces New Date for 2025 UTME After Mass Failure 

 

JAMB Announces New Date for 2025 UTME After Mass Failure

 

 

 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced new dates for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for candidates whose exams were disrupted by technical faults across 157 centres nationwide.

 

The board said the retake will commence on Friday, May 16, 2025, with affected candidates being notified through SMS, emails, and calls.

 

According to JAMB, the disruptions—affecting over 380,000 candidates—were due to a failure in updating certain delivery servers by a service provider.

 

This caused the loss of candidate responses during the initial days of the exam.

 

The affected centres are located primarily in Lagos and Owerri zones, with 65 centres in Lagos affecting 206,610 candidates, and 92 in Owerri affecting 173,387.

 

The error was discovered on April 25, 2025, the second day of the nationwide UTME.

 

“We regret the inconvenience caused to our candidates and are committed to ensuring a fair opportunity for all,” the board said in a statement.

 

In light of the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), JAMB has reached an agreement with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to prevent scheduling conflicts. For instance, UTME candidates who were meant to write Agricultural Science on Friday will instead sit for the rescheduled UTME on Saturday.

 

JAMB also assured that the overlap in literature texts for both SSCE and UTME, with only minor differences in the Use of English section, should ease the burden on students preparing for both exams simultaneously.

 

Tragically, the announcement follows reports of a candidate taking their own life allegedly due to distress over the mass failure and exam complications.

 

While JAMB has not officially confirmed the incident, the news has sparked nationwide concern about the mental health pressures facing Nigerian students.

 

Educational stakeholders and mental health advocates are calling for immediate interventions, including counseling services and better exam management, to support affected candidates.

 

The board emphasized that the rescheduling effort is aimed at restoring fairness and giving all students an equal chance at success. Affected candidates are urged to reprint their exam slips promptly to confirm their new exam dates and centres.