By Muhammad Muntazar
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has set new minimum admission scores for tertiary institutions in Nigeria, with universities leaving their cut-off at 150, while polytechnics and colleges of education will admit candidates with scores of 100 and above.
The decision was reached during the 2025 Policy Meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, where heads of institutions unanimously agreed on the new benchmarks. Notably, the university cut-off mark represents a 10-point increase from the 140 score adopted in the 2024 admission cycle.
JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, confirmed the development, stating that “the figures reflect a consensus reached by relevant stakeholders in the education sector.”
Professor Oloyede also disclosed that Lagos State University (LASU), the University of Lagos (UNILAG), and the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) emerged as the most sought-after institutions for the 2025/2026 admission cycle.
In the same vein, JAMB revealed the top performers in the 2025 UTME, with Okeke Chinedu Christian from Anambra State leading the pack with an impressive 375 out of 400. The high-flying candidate has chosen to study Mechanical Engineering at UNILAG.
Close behind is Ayuba Simon-Peter John from Gombe State, who scored 374 and opted for Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) to pursue the same course. Jimoh Abdulmalik Olayinka from Kwara State came third with 373 marks and also selected UNILAG for Mechanical Engineering.
While universities settled for 150, specialized institutions like Colleges of Nursing adopted a slightly higher cut-off mark of 140. Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, and Agricultural Colleges, however, maintained a lower threshold of 100 for admission seekers.
The new cut-off marks are expected to shape the admission process for the upcoming academic session, with institutions now set to commence screening of candidates based on the approved scores.
Professor Oloyede emphasized that the policy meeting’s outcomes were designed to maintain standards while ensuring fairness in the admission process across all tertiary institutions in the country.