The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has commenced the process of notifying underage candidates who performed exceptionally in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), inviting them to proceed to the next stage of admission assessment.
This was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Board’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, in response to growing public enquiries about the status of underage candidates whose results had earlier been withheld.
According to Benjamin, only candidates who scored 320 and above have been shortlisted under the Board’s exceptional candidate policy and have begun receiving official notifications.
“The Board has sent messages to underage candidates who scored 320 and above. They will be invited to the next level of assessment by their institution of choice,” he stated.
In a message sent to one of the candidates, JAMB explained that those who met the benchmark had crossed a key threshold required for further consideration. Their details have been forwarded to their chosen institutions, which will conduct additional screening and report back to the Board.
The message read, “JAMB hereby notifies you that you have crossed the 80% threshold in the UTME, which is one of the four categories for consideration.
“As a result, your details have been forwarded to your institution of choice, which will contact you for screening and return the result to the Board. You can contact your chosen institution regarding this. Kindly ensure that you upload your O-level results to the JAMB portal.”
The development is part of JAMB’s framework for assessing underage candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic ability. Under the policy, candidates below the minimum admission age of 16 years must meet strict criteria to qualify for consideration.
JAMB had earlier withheld the results of underage candidates, issuing “No Result Yet” notifications while the evaluation process was ongoing. The Board explained that only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are ordinarily eligible to sit for the UTME, with exceptions granted only under the special policy.
To qualify, underage candidates must score at least 320 in the UTME and achieve a minimum of 80 per cent in subsequent screening stages conducted by their chosen institutions.
Benjamin further noted that this approach aligns with prior agreements reached with parents and stakeholders, ensuring that only the most qualified candidates are considered under the exceptional category.
He added that results for underage candidates will remain unreleased until the screening process is fully completed, urging patience as the Board works to uphold the integrity of the admission system.
