The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination results of candidates who were below the stipulated admission age.
The results are now available for the affected candidates to check, but JAMB stressed that obtaining a result does not automatically make an underage candidate eligible for admission.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its Acting Director of Public Affairs and Protocols, Fabian Benjamin, the board defined an underage candidate as anyone who will not have attained the age of 16 by September 30, 2026.
JAMB explained that the release was primarily to allow candidates, parents and guardians to know how they performed in the examination.
It, however, warned that the results could not be used for admission or other official purposes unless the candidate qualified under the special procedure for exceptionally gifted underage applicants.
Under the exceptional admission arrangement, candidates must demonstrate outstanding academic ability and maturity and pass several stages of assessment and verification.
According to the board, eligible candidates must obtain a minimum UTME score of 320 and record at least 80 per cent in relevant Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination subjects, where applicable.
“Only candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and maturity would be considered for admission,” JAMB stated.
The board added that qualified candidates must also meet the Post-UTME requirements of their chosen institutions before undergoing a final assessment by experts.
JAMB said the rigorous process was necessary to distinguish genuinely exceptional candidates from those who merely achieved high UTME scores.
It noted that the assessment and verification process for exceptional underage candidates was still ongoing, with some stages yet to be concluded.
The board also said candidates awaiting their National Examinations Council results would be permitted to submit them once released for verification.
JAMB explained that it would be unfair to conclude the process before allowing such candidates to present their NECO results.
“As soon as the NECO results are released, the Board will fix and announce a date for the final stage of the assessment of the exceptionally performing underage candidates,” it said.
The examination body further cautioned parents, guardians and candidates against individuals who might seek to exploit the process by promising admission to underage candidates outside the approved procedure.
It advised candidates who do not meet the stipulated conditions not to use their UTME results to seek admission through institutions or individuals.
JAMB reiterated that participation in the UTME and the release of a candidate’s result do not constitute a guarantee of admission, particularly where the candidate has not attained the required admission age.
The board assured that the exceptional admission process would be conducted transparently and based strictly on merit.
