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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has announced the release of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination results for candidates deemed to be minors, while stressing that access to the results does not automatically qualify them for tertiary admission.
The council disclosed the development in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by its Public Communications Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
JAMB explained that candidates who are not yet 16 years old on September 30, 2026 are included in the category of underage candidates for the ongoing admission exercise.
According to the Board, the decision to declare the results was primarily to provide an opportunity to the candidates, as well as their parents and guardians, to assess their performance in the examination.
However, they cautioned that the released results cannot be used for admissions or other official purposes unless the candidates successfully fulfill the requirements set for exceptionally performing minor candidates.
Candidates can access their results by sending “RESULT” to 55019 or 66019, using the same SIM card used during their UTME registration.
JAMB reiterates that only minor candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic performance and fulfill all prescribed requirements will ultimately be considered for admission.
The Board therefore warns candidates who do not meet the exceptional consideration criteria not to present their UTME results to institutions or individuals in an attempt to gain admission.
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Benjamin explained that the special admissions process is deliberately designed to be rigorous and involves several stages of assessment and verification to identify candidates who truly have extraordinary abilities and sufficient academic maturity.
One of the conditions taken into consideration is a minimum UTME score of 320, in addition to a minimum performance of 80 percent in relevant Senior School Certificate Examination subjects, if applicable.
“Such candidates are also required to fulfill the relevant Post-UTME requirements of their chosen institutions and undergo final assessments determined by experts,” it said.
A JAMB spokesperson explained that this comprehensive process is intended to separate truly exceptional candidates from those who may have only recorded impressive scores in the UTME.
He added that the process of accepting outstanding minor candidates has not yet been completed because several assessment and verification stages are still ongoing.
According to Benjamin, it would not be appropriate for this process to be stopped without giving candidates who are waiting for the results of the National Examination Board the opportunity to submit them for verification.
“The NECO results have not yet been released, and therefore the Board will wait for their release before proceeding to the final stage of the assessment process,” he said.
He stated that JAMB would announce the final stage assessment dates as soon as the NECO results were released.
The Council further stressed that admission of minor candidates is not solely determined by their UTME scores, but through a broader assessment process aimed at ensuring that each successful candidate meets all set standards.
Parents, guardians and candidates are also warned against dealing with individuals who claim that they can influence or secure the admission of minor candidates outside the official process.
Benjamin reiterated that simply taking the UTME and obtaining results does not constitute an automatic guarantee of admission, especially for candidates who have not yet reached the prescribed admission age.
He assured the public that JAMB will continue to conduct an outstanding admissions process in a transparent, merit-based and rigorous manner.
The council, he added, remains committed to maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s admissions system and ensuring that only candidates who meet the stated requirements are ultimately admitted.
