The Federal Government has introduced a major change to Nigeria’s tertiary admission process by removing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for candidates applying to certain Education and Agriculture programmes.
The announcement was made on Monday during the ongoing policy meeting on admissions and was later shared through the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) official X account.
“Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME,” the board stated.
Speaking at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa explained that applicants pursuing the National Certificate in Education would no longer need to sit for the UTME provided they meet the minimum academic requirements.
Alausa declared, “Candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME.”
Despite the exemption, the minister clarified that all applicants must still complete registration with JAMB before admission can be processed.
“However, it is imperative to emphasise that such candidates shall mandatorily register with JAMB, and their credentials shall be duly screened, verified, and certified for the issuance of admission letters through CAPS, in accordance with extant regulations,” the minister stated.
The policy also covers students applying for National Diploma programmes in agriculture-related disciplines outside engineering and technology.
Alausa noted, “This exemption shall extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.”
According to the minister, the decision is designed to increase access to tertiary education while preserving the credibility of the admission process.
The Federal Government has introduced a major change to Nigeria’s tertiary admission process by removing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for candidates applying to certain Education and Agriculture programmes.
The announcement was made on Monday during the ongoing policy meeting on admissions and was later shared through the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) official X account.
“Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME,” the board stated.
Speaking at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa explained that applicants pursuing the National Certificate in Education would no longer need to sit for the UTME provided they meet the minimum academic requirements.
Alausa declared, “Candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME.”
Despite the exemption, the minister clarified that all applicants must still complete registration with JAMB before admission can be processed.
“However, it is imperative to emphasise that such candidates shall mandatorily register with JAMB, and their credentials shall be duly screened, verified, and certified for the issuance of admission letters through CAPS, in accordance with extant regulations,” the minister stated.
The policy also covers students applying for National Diploma programmes in agriculture-related disciplines outside engineering and technology.
Alausa noted, “This exemption shall extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.”
According to the minister, the decision is designed to increase access to tertiary education while preserving the credibility of the admission process.
“This approach strikes a necessary balance between widening access and preserving the integrity of our admission system.
“It will not only ease the pressure associated with UTME but also encourage greater participation in teacher education and agricultural programmes, both of which are critical to national development,” he added.
The development represents one of the most notable adjustments to the country’s admission structure in recent years, considering that the UTME has long served as the primary gateway into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education nationwide.
JAMB’s annual policy meeting is traditionally used to determine admission procedures, benchmark scores and other operational guidelines for tertiary institutions across the country.
The latest policy is expected to create alternative admission routes for candidates seeking entry into Education and Agriculture-related programmes through institutional screening and qualification verification rather than the conventional UTME process.
Education and Agriculture courses have historically recorded lower admission competition and cut-off marks compared to highly sought-after programmes such as Medicine, Law and Engineering, making the new policy likely to attract increased enrolment into both sectors.
