The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has approved 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2026 academic session.
The decision was reached during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions held in Abuja on Monday, with the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, alongside vice chancellors, rectors, provosts, and other education stakeholders in attendance.
Stakeholders at the meeting also approved 100 as the minimum benchmark for admissions into polytechnics and monotechnics. Colleges of Nursing Sciences will admit candidates with a minimum score of 150.
The meeting further approved timelines for the completion of admissions into tertiary institutions across the country. Public universities are expected to conclude admissions by October 31, 2026, while private universities have until November 30. Polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education are to complete their admissions before December 31, 2026.
In a major policy shift aimed at improving access to teacher education, the Federal Government announced that candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes with at least four credit passes will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The exemption, which will take effect from the 2026/2027 admission session, also applies to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, explained that affected candidates would still be required to register with JAMB for screening, verification, and processing through the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) before admission letters are issued.
According to him, the policy was designed to widen access to education while maintaining the credibility of the admission process.
He said the decision would help reduce the pressure associated with UTME examinations and encourage more students to enrol in teacher education and agriculture-related programmes considered important to national development.
Meanwhile, Lagos State University (LASU) has emerged as the most preferred university in Nigeria for the 2026 admission cycle.
JAMB disclosed that LASU recorded 84,326 first-choice applications, ahead of the University of Lagos, which received 78,240 applications, while Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, came third with 60,370 applications.
The board noted that LASU’s consistent rise in national rankings reflects growing confidence in the institution’s academic standards, infrastructure, and student-focused policies.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who presided over the policy meeting for the final time ahead of the end of his tenure in August 2026, urged heads of tertiary institutions to ensure fairness, transparency, and merit in the admission process.
He warned institutions against irregular admissions and stressed the need to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
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