The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), alongside heads of tertiary institutions and other stakeholders, has retained 150 as the minimum admissible score for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2026/2027 academic session.

The decision was reached at the 2026 JAMB policy meeting held yesterday in Abuja and chaired by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.

The minimum cut-off mark for admission into polytechnics and monotechnics was fixed at 100, while colleges of nursing sciences also adopted 150 as the minimum score.

The meeting was attended by vice chancellors, rectors, provosts and heads of regulatory agencies.

Stakeholders also approved deadlines for the completion of admissions across tertiary institutions. Public universities are expected to conclude admissions by October 31, 2026, private universities by November 30, while polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education have December 31 as the deadline.

The benchmark remains unchanged from the previous admission cycle, when universities adopted 150 as the minimum score, while polytechnics and colleges of education retained 100. Colleges of nursing sciences had adopted 140 in the last exercise.

Similarly, during the 2023 admission exercise, universities adopted 140 as the minimum cut-off mark, while polytechnics and colleges of education retained 100.

Speaking at the meeting, Alausa announced that candidates seeking admission into the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programme with a minimum of four credit passes would no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

He said the policy, which takes effect from the 2026/2027 admission exercise, would also apply to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.

According to the minister, the measure is aimed at widening access to teacher education and reducing pressure on the admission system.

Under the new arrangement, eligible candidates would still be required to register with JAMB, while their credentials would undergo screening, verification and certification before admission letters are issued through the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS).

“In recognition of this reality, the Federal Ministry of Education, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, has taken a deliberate policy position,” Alausa said.

“Accordingly, candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME.

“However, it is imperative to emphasise that such candidates shall mandatorily register with JAMB, and their credentials shall be duly screened, verified, and certified for the issuance of admission letters through CAPS, in accordance with extant regulations.”

He added that the approach would widen access to education while preserving the integrity of the admission process.

“In the same vein, this approach strikes a necessary balance between widening access and preserving the integrity of our admission system. It will not only ease the pressure associated with UTME but also encourage greater participation in teacher education and agricultural programmes, both of which are critical to national development,” he said.

In his remarks, JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, urged heads of tertiary institutions to uphold transparency, fairness and merit in the admission process.

Oloyede, who is presiding over the annual exercise for the last time as his second term ends in August 2026, warned against irregular admissions and urged institutions to admit only qualified candidates.

The examination body also unveiled the top candidates in the 2026 UTME, with Owoeye Daniella Jesudunsin emerging as the highest scorer nationwide with 372 out of 400 points.

Jesudunsin, who sat the examination in Ogun State and hails from Ekiti State, applied to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Lagos as her first-choice course.

Enwere Kingsley Ikenna from Imo State came second with 370 points and applied to study Computer Science at Nile University of Nigeria.

Bamisile Ayomide Emmanuel from Ondo State placed third with 369 points and applied to study Software Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure.