By Kwin Israel, The Sight News
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said that underage candidates who sat the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can now view their results, but warned that only a select few who meet strict conditions will ultimately be admitted this year.
For the 2026 admission exercise, JAMB defines an underage candidate as anyone who will be younger than 16 as at 30th September 2026. The Board said the results have been released strictly to let candidates and their parents or guardians see how they performed, and cautioned that viewing a result does not amount to admission eligibility.
“To check their results, candidates are to send RESULT to 55019 or 66019 using the same phone number registered for the UTME”.
JAMB explained that only candidates classified as “exceptionally performing” underage candidates, who satisfy a defined set of stringent requirements, will be considered for admission. Those who fall outside this category, the Board warned, should not present their results to any institution or individual in a bid to secure admission.
To qualify for exceptional consideration, a candidate must score at least 320 in the UTME and record a minimum of 80 per cent in the relevant subjects of the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE), where applicable. Candidates must also meet their chosen institutions’ Post-UTME requirements and pass a final assessment conducted by experts.
According to JAMB, this multi-stage process is designed to separate candidates who are genuinely exceptional from those who simply scored well in the UTME.
The Board said the admission process for this category of candidates is still ongoing, as key stages of verification remain incomplete. In particular, JAMB noted that it would be unfair to conclude the exercise before candidates awaiting their National Examinations Council (NECO) results have had the chance to present and verify them. With NECO results yet to be released, JAMB said it would wait for their publication before proceeding to the final stage of assessment, after which a date will be announced.
It reiterated that sitting the UTME and having a result released do not, on their own, guarantee admission for candidates below the prescribed age, and urged parents, guardians and candidates to be wary of individuals claiming they can secure admission for underage candidates outside the official process.
The Board assured the public that the assessment of exceptionally performing underage candidates would remain transparent, rigorous and merit-based, in line with its commitment to protecting the integrity of the admission process.
