Over 1.5 million candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scored below 200, according to data released by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Monday.
According to JAMB, the statistics show that only 420,415 candidates scored above 200, representing just over 21% of the total.
The board also mentioned that fewer than 1% managed to score above 300, underscoring a widespread performance drop across the board.
Among those who sat for the exam were 40,247 underage candidates, permitted by JAMB to showcase what it described as “exceptional abilities”.
However, just 467 of them—approximately 1.16%—met the score threshold to qualify for the next three stages of assessment.
The board also announced that 97 candidates were involved in confirmed cases of examination malpractice, while another 2,157 are currently under investigation for suspected cheating.
In addition, 71,701 candidates failed to show up for the exam.
JAMB also mentioned that candidates experiencing biometric verification issues are being investigated and, if cleared, will be rescheduled for their examinations at designated centres.
The board also revealed that results for visually impaired candidates and others grouped under the JEOG category are still being processed.
