THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered 2,658 illegal admissions processed by 17 tertiary institutions across the country during the recently concluded 2024/2025 academic session, News Point Nigeria can report.
According to an internal institutional compliance analysis obtained by News Point Nigeria in Abuja on Friday, the infractions cut across federal, state, and private tertiary institutions, a development sparking renewed concerns over admission racketeering despite stricter regulatory measures.
Public universities officially rounded off the 2025/2026 admissions cycle on Friday even as the regulatory body continues to track violations from the previous session.
From the breakdown, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, accounted for the highest number with 1,847 illegal admissions, representing nearly 70% of the total flagged cases.
It was followed by:
Institution Illegal Admissions:
Osun State University 492
Abubakar Tafari Ali Polytechnic 148
Federal College of Animal & Health Production 66
University of Calabar 28
College of Education, Oro 12
Michael & Cecilia Ibru University 12
Redeemer’s University 5
Pan-Atlantic University 5
Nigerian Army College of Education 2
Kwara State Polytechnic 1
Best Solution Polytechnic 1
Others 41
JAMB describes any admission processed outside its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) as illegal invalid for recognition and national records.
Under the CAPS model introduced in 2017, all admissions into Nigerian higher institutions must be: verified, authorized, digitally recorded and merit- and quota-compliant
However, some institutions reportedly admitted candidates manually, without approval from JAMB, a practice authorities say undermines transparency, creates opportunities for backdoor payments, and compromises standards.
