JAMB Tenders Emotional Apology 2025 UTME Mass Failure, Reschedules Exam for Affected Candidates

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The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued an an emotional apology to parents and UTME candidates affected in the mass failure which was caused by 'operational oversight'. 

This article explores in details what transpired that led to the oversight and the way forward. 

Also See: How to Check UTME Results

In an unprecedented turn of events, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, was visibly moved to tears during a press briefing on May 14, 2025, as he addressed the mass failure in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). 

The failure, affecting approximately 379,997 candidates across 157 centres in Lagos and the South-East, was attributed to a critical operational oversight rather than systemic failure or administrative manipulation. This blog post summarizes the incident, the causes, and JAMB’s swift response to restore fairness and public confidence.

Also See: JAMB Results Statistics for 2025 UTME

What Went Wrong?

Here's a video of JAMB breaking down what went wrong:

Source: Arise.tv

The 2025 UTME aimed to set a new standard for examination integrity with three major technological advancements:

Enhanced Answer Validation: JAMB shifted from merely counting submitted answers to analyzing the source and logic behind them. This ensured a more accurate assessment of candidates’ performance.

Full-Scale Question and Answer Shuffling: Questions and answer options were randomized for each candidate, even within the same session, to prevent cheating.

Systemic Performance Optimization: Upgrades were implemented to reduce lag and enhance the overall exam experience, contributing to the highest UTME scores in 15 years.

While these changes were robust in theory, a critical flaw emerged during implementation. The server cluster in Kaduna (KAD zone) was fully updated to support the new system, but the Lagos (LAG) cluster, servicing Lagos and South-East centres, was not. 

This oversight persisted through 17 exam sessions, affecting 92 centres in the South-East and 65 in Lagos. The outdated server logic in these centres couldn’t handle the new answer validation structure, leading to mismatched results for nearly 380,000 candidates.

Uncovering the Error

JAMB’s internal audits, combined with data from the Educare Technical Team, confirmed the issue. Educare analyzed 15,000 authentic candidate records, with over 14,000 from the affected LAG cluster regions, revealing significant discrepancies. 

Comparative analyses with third-party evaluations further validated the findings, pinpointing human error—not system failure or manipulation—as the root cause.

JAMB’s Response: Accountability and Action

At the 3:00 p.m. press briefing, Professor Oloyede took full responsibility, offering a heartfelt apology to candidates and their families. “This was a human error, and we are deeply sorry,” he said, emphasizing JAMB’s commitment to fairness. To address the issue, JAMB announced the following measures:

Retake Opportunity: All affected candidates will retake the UTME at no cost on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (May 16–18, 2025) in Lagos and other South-East centres.

Rescheduling for Clashes: Candidates with timetable conflicts, especially due to ongoing SSCE exams, will be rescheduled in coordination with the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Updated Exam Slips: Candidates were advised to reprint their exam slips by Friday, May 17, 2025, to confirm their new schedules.

JAMB also released an official communique, Man Proposes, God Disposes, which included an emotional section titled Appeal, Appreciation, and Apology. This reiterated the board’s dedication to transparency and continuous improvement.

Moving Forward: Restoring Trust

To prevent future oversights, JAMB has committed to implementing stronger deployment validation protocols and real-time monitoring mechanisms. The board’s decision to open its systems to independent reviews, including collaboration with Educare, underscores its resolve to maintain the integrity of the UTME process.

The 2025 UTME incident, while unfortunate, highlights JAMB’s willingness to confront challenges head-on. By acknowledging the error, apologizing sincerely, and taking swift corrective action, Professor Oloyede and his team have set a powerful example of accountability. For the affected candidates, this is not just a second chance but a testament to JAMB’s commitment to fairness.

As Engr. James Nnanyelugo of the Educare Tech Team noted, “This incident was neither a system failure nor administrative manipulation, but an outright human error.” With robust measures in place, JAMB is poised to ensure that such errors remain a thing of the past, restoring public confidence and upholding the sanctity of Nigeria’s tertiary admissions process.

For more details, candidates can visit JAMB’s official website or contact their support channels. Let’s share this information to ensure all affected candidates are informed and prepared for the rescheduled exams.