JAMB Publishes 2026 UTME Results for Underage Candidates

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of underage candidates who sat for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The board said the results are available for candidates and their parents or guardians to check their performance.

JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.

Benjamin clarified that the release of the results does not mean that all underage candidates are qualified for admission.

He explained that candidates below the age of 16 as of September 30, 2026, are regarded as underage candidates for the 2026 admission exercise.

According to him, the results are mainly for candidates and their parents or guardians to know their UTME performance. They cannot be used for admission or other official purposes unless the candidate meets the conditions for exceptional consideration.

Candidates can access their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019 through the same SIM card used during UTME registration.

Benjamin said JAMB had previously made it clear that only underage candidates who record exceptional performances and satisfy all prescribed conditions would be considered for admission.

He warned candidates who fail to meet the requirements against presenting their results to institutions or individuals in an attempt to secure admission.

The JAMB spokesperson said the exceptional admission process involves several stages of assessment. The process is intended to identify candidates with outstanding academic ability and sufficient maturity for tertiary education.

He said candidates must obtain a minimum UTME score of 320 and achieve at least 80 per cent in relevant Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) subjects, where applicable.

“Such candidates are also required to meet the relevant Post-UTME requirements of their chosen institutions and undergo the prescribed final assessment by experts,” he said.

Benjamin said the procedure would help the board separate candidates with genuine exceptional ability from those who only recorded high UTME scores.

He added that the assessment of exceptionally performing underage candidates had not been completed.

The board, according to him, must also give candidates who are waiting for their National Examinations Council (NECO) results an opportunity to submit the results for verification.

“The NECO results are yet to be released, and the board would therefore await their release before proceeding to the final stage of the assessment process,” he said.

Benjamin said JAMB would announce the date for the final assessment once the NECO results are released.

He stressed that admission consideration would not depend solely on UTME scores. Candidates must pass the other stages of assessment and meet all the requirements set by the board.

The spokesperson also advised candidates, parents and guardians to be wary of individuals who claim they can secure admission for underage candidates outside the approved procedure.

He maintained that sitting for the UTME and obtaining a result do not automatically guarantee admission, especially for candidates who have not reached the stipulated admission age.

Benjamin assured the public that the assessment and admission process for exceptionally performing underage candidates would be transparent, rigorous and based on merit.