2025 UTME Results Set New Benchmark — JAMB Says It's Best in 13 Years

By Achimi muktar

In what many are calling a rollercoaster year for Nigeria’s most important university entrance exam, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released a surprising revelation: 2025 produced the best UTME results in 13 years, even as the examination body battles accusations of technical failures, widespread fraud, and cutting-edge impersonation tactics.

Despite waves of criticism following technical glitches and a rare resit exam for nearly 400,000 affected candidates, the 2025 UTME scores have shattered records not seen since the Computer-Based Test (CBT) system was introduced in 2013.

According to JAMB's newly released performance data:

17,025 candidates (0.88%) scored 300 and above, double the 8,401 (0.46%) that achieved similar results in 2024.

117,373 candidates (6.08%) scored 250 and above, compared to 77,070 (4.18%) in 2024.

565,988 candidates (29.3%) scored 200 and above, beating 2024’s 439,961 (24%).

These gains mark the strongest UTME results in over a decade, showcasing what should have been a moment of national academic pride.

Beneath the historic numbers, however, lies a darker narrative. JAMB also confirmed that the 2025 UTME was marred by sophisticated examination malpractice, including AI-driven impersonation, server hacking, and even mercenary candidate pairings.

JAMB revealed shocking details, alleging that some school owners and CBT centre managers collaborated with hackers to:

Control candidates’ computers remotely during the exam via compromised local servers.

Use AI photo-blending technology to impersonate students during biometric registration.

Extend LAN connections illegally to secret locations where answers were generated in real time.

Pair candidates with “professional” mercenaries, often current undergraduates, to sit the exam on their behalf.

“These are not just isolated incidents,” the board warned. “They represent a calculated network of fraud.”

In response to the breach of exam integrity, over 3,000 UTME results have already been withdrawn, and the investigation is ongoing. Many of the perpetrators, JAMB noted, were traced to undergraduate students and rogue officials operating within accredited centres.

JAMB flagged a disturbing tactic involving candidates intentionally disrupting sitting arrangements to enable mercenary pairing, further complicating supervision and identity verification.

The 2025 UTME was also riddled with logistical issues. According to JAMB, 379,997 candidates were affected by serious technical errors—largely in Lagos and Owerri zones—due to what the board described as “an omission in the examination items.”

In Lagos alone, 65 centres hosting 206,610 candidates were impacted.

In the Owerri operational zone, 92 centres with 173,387 candidates faced similar breakdowns.

These glitches forced JAMB to conduct a massive resit exam, the results of which have now been factored into the latest performance data.

What’s Next for JAMB and Nigerian Students?

While the 2025 UTME results might stand as a statistical triumph, the integrity of the examination process is now under intense scrutiny. As JAMB vows to root out fraud and tighten security, education stakeholders and the public are left asking: Can we truly celebrate academic success when the system itself is under siege?