|By Adejumo Adekunle-

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the full statistical breakdown of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), revealing a sharp performance gap among Nigerian candidates.

Out of the 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the nationwide exam, over 1.5 million scored below 200 — a figure that casts concern over academic preparedness across the country. The report also shows that only 4,756 candidates scored above 320, while 7,658 candidates earned scores between 300 and 319.

In a statement issued alongside the breakdown, JAMB noted that 40,247 underage candidates were granted permission to take the examination in a bid to recognize exceptional academic potential. However, only 467 of them — representing just 1.16% — met the board’s criteria for exceptional ability.

The Board added that these candidates will proceed through three additional assessment stages before any final determination of their academic standing is made.