The minister reaffirmed the federal government's commitment to enforcing strict compliance with CAPS, which JAMB introduced in 2017 to regulate admission procedures and eliminate human interference.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has warned that any tertiary institution found admitting students outside of the official JAMB Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) will face severe sanctions, including the withdrawal of its academic licence.
Mr Alausa announced this on Tuesday at the 2025 policy meeting organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
He noted that such admissions are illegal, regardless of intent, and violate the standardised process put in place to ensure fairness, transparency, and quality control.
The minister reaffirmed the federal government's commitment to enforcing strict compliance with CAPS, which JAMB introduced in 2017 to regulate admission procedures and eliminate human interference.
"Let me state emphatically and unequivocally, any admission conducted outside CAPS, regardless of its intentions, is illegal. Both institutions and the candidates involved in such practice will be held accountable," he said.
He added that sanctions may include the withdrawal of institutional licences, as well as the removal or persecution of culpable officers or governing council members.
Institutions warned to step up oversight
Mr Alausa called on Vice-Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, Governing Councils and Senate of institutions to intensify internal checks and oversight functions.
He emphasised that adherence to the JAMB-approved admission framework is non-negotiable and warned that the ministry would actively monitor compliance in collaboration with JAMB and take necessary actions.
"The integration of our National Identification Number into the JAMB registration process has come to stay. I urge heads of institutions to step up oversight to prevent unauthorised practices," he said.
He added that flexibility may be granted in special cases to accommodate institutional peculiarities, but only within the boundaries of existing guidelines.
The CAPS was developed to standardise the admission process across Nigerian tertiary institutions and reduce the influence of admission rackets and backdoor entry.
According to Mr Alausa, CAPS has helped eliminate administrative bottlenecks and increased transparency in the system.
"CAPS has proven a vital tool in safeguarding the integrity of the admission system by effectively curbing identity fraud and multiple registrations," the minister said.
Mr Alausa reiterated that all admissions for the 2025 academic year must comply with national guidelines, including age, quota, and programme-specific requirements set by regulatory bodies.
Background
Illegal admissions have become a persistent problem in Nigeria's higher education sector, with tertiary institutions, including federal, state, and privately owned ones, often flouting regulations by admitting students outside the JAMB CAPS.
The issue came to national attention in 2021 when JAMB disclosed that over 700,000 illegal admissions had been carried out by 366 institutions without their approval.
These included universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. JAMB directed the affected institutions to regularise those admissions and required each candidate involved to pay a N5,000 fine.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
By 2024, JAMB issued a one-month ultimatum to all tertiary institutions to disclose all 'pre-2017' admissions that were conducted outside CAPS or risk having those admissions invalidated.
The ultimatum also applied to ongoing illegal admissions under the guise of institutional discretion. JAMB made it clear, that it would no longer serve as a post-facto validator of illegal enrollments.
Earlier that year, JAMB publicly named over 86 institutions, including public and private universities, that had engaged in unauthorised admissions.
It warned that continued violations could result in disaccreditation, withdrawal of admission slots, or other sanctions.
The CAPS platform, introduced in 2017, was designed to automate the admission process and ensure that eligible, qualified candidates who meet institutional and national criteria are admitted.
