Nigeria’s tertiary admissions body, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has recorded a major milestone in inclusive education, with 536 candidates who are blind or living with other disabilities successfully participating in the ongoing 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The development has been hailed as a significant step in widening access to higher education, particularly for underserved groups.
Chairman of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), Peter Okebukola, said the initiative reflects a deliberate policy to ensure that no eligible candidate is excluded from the examination process due to physical or cognitive limitations.
“What we are witnessing is a system that prioritises fairness and access. Every qualified Nigerian, regardless of condition, is given a real opportunity to compete,” he said.
Okebukola commended the leadership of the JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, noting that sustained reforms since 2017 have strengthened support systems for candidates with special needs.
The candidates are being examined across 11 specialised centres nationwide, with tailored arrangements such as Braille-based testing and read-aloud formats. JAMB has also continued to provide free accommodation, meals, and transport support for candidates and their aides.
According to Okebukola, the adoption of a bimodal examination system offering Fully-Braille and Fully Read-Aloud options has significantly improved accessibility and performance outcomes.
Data from the previous admission cycle shows steady progress, with over half of candidates with disabilities securing admission into tertiary institutions. He added that candidates with dyslexia recorded particularly strong outcomes, achieving a full success rate.
Centres with the highest participation include Kano, Lagos, and Abuja, alongside others in Ado-Ekiti, Bauchi, Benin City, Enugu, Kebbi, Oyo, Jos, and Yola.
While noting increasing interest among candidates with disabilities in STEM-related courses, Okebukola acknowledged ongoing barriers, especially for visually impaired students, adding that targeted interventions are being developed to address the gap.
Meanwhile, JAMB has continued the phased release of results from the ongoing UTME exercise.
The Board confirmed the release of another batch of results for candidates who sat the examination on April 20, marking the fourth set in the series. This follows earlier releases covering candidates who wrote the exam between April 16 and April 18.
JAMB’s Public Communications Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, said candidates can access their results by sending “UTMERESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the phone number used during registration.
With the latest update, the number of processed results has now exceeded 1.89 million, reflecting the scale and pace of the nationwide examination.
The Board reiterated its commitment to transparency, accessibility, and efficiency in the conduct of the UTME, positioning its inclusive model as a benchmark for other African countries.