The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has provided clarification on the case of Miss Kareem Kaamilah Omolarami, an underage candidate who scored 371 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and applied for admission into Nile University of Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and strict adherence to due process in all its admission activities.
He explained that JAMB’s admission process is managed through the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) — an automated platform designed to prevent human interference and promote merit-based admissions across all tertiary institutions.
According to the statement, JAMB operates a four-stage screening process for underage candidates who exhibit outstanding academic performance. The process, it said, ensures the integrity of admissions into higher institutions.
The stages include:
- Attaining a minimum UTME score of 320;
- Scoring at least 80 per cent in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE);
- Achieving 80 per cent in the institution’s internal screening exercise; and
- Participating in a final screening organised by a JAMB-appointed panel comprising vice-chancellors, civil society representatives, education experts and other distinguished professionals — where the candidate must also score a minimum of 80 per cent.
JAMB noted that each stage serves as a prerequisite for progression to the next.
The Board disclosed that Miss Omolarami successfully met the requirements of the first two stages but was officially reported absent by Nile University during the third stage — the university’s internal screening exercise.
“This report was formally transmitted to the Board by the institution, thereby rendering her ineligible to participate in the final screening exercise, which took place on October 8 and 9, 2025,” the statement read.
JAMB stressed that her non-invitation to the final stage was not due to administrative error, bias or any procedural failure, but was based solely on the university’s official report confirming her absence.
The Board further revealed that Miss Omolarami had, on October 7, 2025, lodged a formal complaint through JAMB’s online support platform, contesting her exclusion from the university’s screening process.
“In response, the Board has requested a detailed explanation from Nile University and is currently awaiting the institution’s report to enable an evidence-based review of the matter,” JAMB stated.
While noting that it regulates and approves all admissions into tertiary institutions in Nigeria, the Board emphasised that universities retain autonomy to recommend qualified candidates based on their verified internal assessments.
It announced that 84 underage candidates who completed all four stages of the special screening process have been cleared, and their results will be transmitted to their respective institutions for final admission processing.
JAMB urged candidates to channel all complaints or clarifications through its official communication platforms, rather than resorting to social media or other public avenues.
“These channels are more effective in ensuring timely and accurate redress,” the statement said.
The Board reiterated that the non-inclusion of Miss Kareem Kaamilah Omolarami in the final stage of the underage admission screening exercise was in strict compliance with established procedures and based entirely on verified information provided by the admitting institution.
