The Federal Government has declared that all admissions into tertiary institutions conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) will be considered illegal.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this clear on Tuesday during the 2025 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja.
Dr. Alausa warned universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country to desist from processing admissions outside the CAPS platform, stating that such actions would attract prosecution and severe sanctions.
“Any admission conducted outside CAPS, regardless of intention, is illegal,” he said. “Both the institutions and candidates involved will be held accountable. Sanctions may include withdrawal of institutional privileges and prosecution of responsible officials or governing council members.”
CAPS, introduced in 2017, was designed to automate and streamline the admissions process, reduce human interference, and eliminate administrative bottlenecks.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and accountability in higher education, Alausa clarified that while academic boards initiate admissions, JAMB remains the statutory body responsible for regulating the process to ensure equity.
He urged vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, and governing councils to strengthen oversight and prevent unauthorised admissions, assuring that the Ministry of Education will closely monitor compliance in collaboration with JAMB.
The Minister also reiterated the mandatory use of the National Identification Number (NIN) for JAMB registration, noting that it has helped curb identity fraud and multiple registrations.
“Any abuse of the NIN system will be identified and punished,” he warned.
Dr. Alausa presented worrying statistics highlighting a mismatch between available admission spaces and actual student enrolment, particularly in programmes such as agriculture, education, engineering, and health sciences.
“We have the capacity, but we’re not admitting enough students. We need to close that gap so more young Nigerians can access tertiary education,” he said.
He also criticised the proliferation of underutilised institutions, revealing that over 120 universities received fewer than 50 applications in the current admission cycle.
“The issue isn’t access but proper alignment and capacity. We don’t need a tertiary institution in every ward—we need to strengthen existing ones,” he added.
Senate Backs Tougher Sanctions
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Sen. Shuaib Salisu, advocated stricter penalties for institutions and administrators who undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s admission system.
He called for the criminalisation of fraudulent admissions, warning institutions to stop exploiting system loopholes that mislead students into pursuing invalid programmes.
“The Senate Committee will push for legislation to criminalise such practices and ensure accountability among admission officers and institutional management,” he said.
Salisu also emphasised the need for a more inclusive and robust education system capable of fostering peace and economic growth.
