JAMB Registrar Denies Ethnic Sabotage in 2025 UTME Exam Glitch

In the wake of widespread concerns over the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has firmly dismissed claims of ethnic sabotage behind the exam errors that affected thousands of candidates.

The UTME results, released on May 9, showed a startling statistic: over 78% of candidates scored below 200 out of a possible 400 points. This unusual outcome triggered public outcry and prompted JAMB to conduct an early review of the examination process.

On May 14, Oloyede revealed that a technical error, specifically faulty server updates, caused the failure to upload candidates’ responses during the first three days of the exam. This issue affected 379,997 candidates across 157 exam centres in Lagos and the south-east zones of Nigeria. The registrar emphasised that the problem was due to human error by a technical service provider and not a deliberate act of sabotage.

“The ethnic identity of those who committed the mistake is irrelevant,” Oloyede stated during a meeting in Abuja with chief external examiners, civil society organisations, and tertiary education stakeholders. “There was no sabotage or glitch. What happened was a human error committed by certain individuals, and we have rectified it. I have accepted the mistake on behalf of everyone.”

In response to the error, JAMB organized a resit examination beginning May 16, which continued beyond May 19, to give affected candidates a fair chance.

See Also

5 years after EndSARS killings: Questions remain unanswered and Nigerians are still scared of police brutality

The controversy sparked political action as well. On May 15, Nigeria’s House of Representatives announced plans to investigate the examination body over the technical mishap. Earlier, on April 19, the south-east caucus in the House demanded Oloyede’s resignation and called for the cancellation of the 2025 UTME, advocating for a fresh exam to be held. This demand stemmed from the fact that the south-east states were reportedly the most impacted by the error.

Despite the tension and allegations from some quarters hinting at ethnic conspiracy, Oloyede remained steadfast, urging Nigerians to focus on the facts rather than divisive rhetoric.