JAMB Cracks Down on Tertiary Institutions Over Missing Matriculation Lists

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a strong warning to tertiary institutions across Nigeria: submit your matriculation lists for past sessions, or lose the right to admit students in upcoming ones. This bold move comes as part of the Board’s broader efforts to uphold integrity and transparency in Nigeria’s troubled tertiary education admissions process.

Speaking recently in Abuja, JAMB’s Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, emphasized that any institution that has failed to submit its official matriculation list for the 2022 and 2023 academic sessions will no longer have its admissions approved for the 2024 and 2025 sessions. This isn’t just a policy threat; JAMB appears fully prepared to follow through, and the implications for students and institutions are significant.

Matriculation lists may seem like a formality, but they play a vital role in the entire admission process. These lists serve as an official record, verifying the students who have been genuinely admitted into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education through JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS). Without submission of these lists, it becomes difficult—if not impossible—to confirm which students were legitimately admitted. This opens the door for fraud, manipulation, and an overall lack of accountability in a system already battling credibility issues.

For context, the CAPS platform was developed by JAMB to centralize and standardize the admission process in Nigeria. Through CAPS, institutions can upload their proposed admission lists, which JAMB then reviews and approves before offers are made to candidates. It allows applicants to track their admission status and accept or reject offers in real time, promoting transparency. When institutions bypass this system or fail to submit their matriculation lists, they undermine the very process designed to ensure merit, equity, and legitimacy.

Professor Oloyede made it clear that the Board has been patient enough. Some institutions, he revealed, have not submitted matriculation data for three consecutive academic sessions. This is not just an oversight—it’s a pattern of non-compliance. JAMB described this behavior as both absurd and unacceptable. Despite several reminders and the technological ease of submitting these lists online, a number of schools have remained unresponsive.

This time, JAMB is going public with its frustration. The Registrar directed that advertisements be placed in major newspapers across the country to warn institutions and inform the public about the consequences of this continued non-compliance. Additionally, Admissions Desk Officers (ADOs) in the various institutions have been told to strictly enforce the directive, with no room for exceptions.

There’s more to this than just keeping records straight. Submitting the National Matriculation List (NML) is also a prerequisite for schools to qualify for the National Tertiary Admission Performance-Merit Award (NATAP-M Award). This means that institutions failing to comply not only risk losing their ability to admit students but also disqualify themselves from being recognized for admission excellence. In other words, it’s both a practical and reputational penalty.

Beyond the missing lists, JAMB is also dealing with another serious problem: the use of fake or unverifiable credentials in the admission process. Earlier this year, the Board raised the alarm about tertiary institutions admitting students using forged Advanced Level (A-Level) results—often without processing the admissions through CAPS. Investigations uncovered disturbing patterns, including the upload of fake credentials into the system and even completely offline admissions that never touched CAPS at all.

This form of academic fraud doesn’t just hurt the integrity of the system—it affects real students. When undeserving candidates are admitted with forged results, they take the place of deserving students who earned their spots honestly. It also creates a long-term ripple effect, as these students go on to graduate with unearned qualifications, enter the workforce, and potentially influence sectors that rely on real expertise.

For JAMB, ensuring that every admission goes through CAPS is non-negotiable. The platform was created to eliminate human interference in admissions and prevent institutions from conducting “backdoor” offers. When properly used, it ensures a merit-based process that allows students to track offers, institutions to upload verifiable data, and the government to monitor the system effectively.

Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centres are also on JAMB’s radar. These centres, which handle UTME registration and administration, must follow strict protocols. Any failure to do so opens the process to further fraud, whether during registration or result processing. JAMB has warned that it will not hesitate to sanction centres that compromise the system.

While JAMB’s position may seem firm, it’s rooted in a long-standing frustration with institutions that continue to play fast and loose with the rules. Nigeria’s education system, already facing challenges like funding shortages, strikes, and decaying infrastructure, cannot afford the added burden of admission irregularities.

For students and parents, this development serves as a reminder to pay close attention to admission processes. Many candidates have suffered after discovering, often too late, that their so-called admission was never officially recognized by JAMB. This can affect their eligibility for NYSC, scholarships, and even future job opportunities.

JAMB’s stance sends a clear message: no more business as usual. If institutions wish to maintain their credibility, attract students, and remain competitive, they must comply with regulations that are in place to protect everyone involved—students, parents, schools, and the education sector as a whole.

The message from Professor Oloyede is straightforward: compliance is not optional. If schools wish to be part of Nigeria’s future in higher education, they must respect the processes that guarantee fairness and transparency.

As the 2024 and 2025 admission cycles approach, all eyes will be on how strictly JAMB enforces this directive—and whether the institutions finally begin to treat their responsibilities with the seriousness they deserve. The hope is that this firm approach will usher in a new era of accountability, one where Nigerian students can finally have confidence in the fairness of the admission process.