Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian universities have agreed to a minimum admission benchmark of 150 for the 2025 academic year, following a policy meeting held by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday.
Under the new directive, no university in Nigeria is permitted to admit candidates who scored below 150 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
While this threshold applies generally, several leading institutions such as the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, and Pan-Atlantic University have opted for a higher cut-off score of 200, reflecting their competitive admission processes.
Meanwhile, some newly established private universities proposed lower benchmarks, with a few suggesting 120. However, the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, recommended a more balanced cut-off of 160, encouraging institutions to maintain standards while ensuring access.
The policy decision comes amid ongoing reforms to enhance fairness and quality in the country’s tertiary admissions system.
