Several candidates from the recently concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) have voiced their dissatisfaction with the results, urging the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to review them. Candidates, their families, and other concerned Nigerians have taken to social media, claiming that the results fail to reflect their actual performance.

Alex Onyia, CEO of Educare, a school software solutions company, has begun compiling a list of affected candidates in preparation for a lawsuit against JAMB.

In response, JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin defended the integrity of the results, asserting, “For us and the system we run, this is a reflection of their performance.” He explained to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday that “examination is the only test of ability,” adding that many “brilliant” candidates sometimes fail exams due to overconfidence.

This year’s UTME, which serves as an entrance exam for Nigerian tertiary institutions, saw more than 78% of candidates scoring below 200 out of the maximum 400 points. Candidates take four subjects, each with a maximum score of 100.

The results have sparked widespread criticism, with many calling this year’s exam a failure. However, JAMB registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, argued that the results align with trends from previous years. He highlighted that last year, 76% of candidates scored below 200, while 78% did so in 2022. In 2021, only 803 candidates, or 0.06% of the 1.3 million candidates, scored above 300.