The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has identified 86 universities and other tertiary institutions that conducted admissions in violation of the mandated Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS). This system, which was established to centralize and automate the admissions process, has been bypassed by a notable number of institutions, raising concerns about the integrity and legality of their admissions practices.
JAMB, which oversees university admissions in Nigeria, declared these admissions as illegal, stating that they are “null and void.” The issue came to light following an analysis of the 2022/2023 admissions data from universities, polytechnics, and other tertiary education establishments. It was found that these institutions had admitted students outside the CAPS framework, which was designed to ensure a fair and transparent selection process.
Introduced in 2017, CAPS was implemented to streamline the admissions process, allowing for more efficient interactions between candidates and institutions. This system enables institutions to upload the admission statuses of candidates directly, ensuring all data is centralized and accessible. In 2020, JAMB had explicitly warned institutions against offering admissions through their own independent portals, emphasizing that such practices constituted a serious abuse of the system.
Despite these clear directives, the recent findings show that many institutions have not only continued with these practices but have also failed to adhere to the set guidelines, leading to widespread non-compliance. In a bulletin titled ‘Cessation of illegal/irregular admission’, JAMB reiterated its stance that all admissions into full-time, distance learning, part-time, outreach, sandwich programs, and more must be processed exclusively through CAPS.
The board’s report, ‘Compiled assessment of institutions on compliance with the 2022/2023 admission guidelines’, evaluated institutions based on their adherence to these rules. Institutions fully complying with the guidelines were awarded ten points, those with partial compliance received five points, and those failing to comply received zero. Remarkably, 88 institutions fell into the non-compliant category.
Among those listed are several well-known institutions, including the University of Abuja, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Yaba College of Technology, Plateau State University, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Ebonyi State University, Rhema University, Chrisland University, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Alvan Ikoku College of Education, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University. Other institutions such as Coal City University, Crawford University, Crescent University, and Borno State University also appeared on this list.
Moving forward, JAMB has issued a stern warning to both institutions and candidates. Institutions are urged to cease these practices immediately, and candidates are advised to ensure their admissions are processed through the official CAPS system to avoid complications with their enrollment status.
