Just In: Human Error, Not Tech Glitch, Behind 2025 UTME Result Issues – House Committee

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has disclosed that the irregularities in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results were due to human oversight, not a technological malfunction as initially speculated.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, committee chairman Hon. Oboku Oforji stated that initial investigations revealed the discrepancies—affecting over 300,000 candidates—stemmed from human negligence within the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

This clarification follows an earlier address by JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who on May 14 publicly acknowledged faults in the released results. In a candid statement, he admitted to errors despite the board’s best efforts, emphasizing that the examination body remained transparent and accountable.

According to Oloyede, the widespread issues were not isolated mistakes but part of a broader systemic lapse. Candidates in at least five states, including regions in the Southeast and Lagos, were notably affected.

JAMB has since announced that 379,997 impacted candidates will be granted the opportunity to retake the examination.

During the committee’s briefing, Hon. Oforji expressed regret over the development and extended apologies to affected students and their families. “On behalf of the committee and the examination body, we extend our sincere apologies to the Nigerian public,” he said.

He also commended Professor Oloyede for taking responsibility and demonstrating transparency. “While we appreciate the JAMB registrar’s honesty and professionalism, it’s important to note that these were avoidable human errors rooted in negligence,” Oforji added.

The committee, while acknowledging JAMB’s usually consistent examination procedures—from registration to result release—called for a deeper inquiry. Oforji insisted on an independent probe into the incident and revealed that the committee has proposed policy reforms aimed at preventing similar occurrences in the future.