Analysis of data on the admissions conducted for the 2022/2023 admission session in Nigerian universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions revealed that 88 institutions conducted admissions outside of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
According to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), admissions conducted outside CAPS are illegal, null and void.
JAMB had in 2017 introduced the CAPS where all tertiary institutions upload the admission status of candidates offered admission in the institutions.
CAPS has centralised and automated admission processes between candidates and their chosen tertiary institutions.
In 2020, JAMB warned institutions to stop offering admissions to candidates through their own portals.
The board described the practice as a flagrant abuse of the automated Central Admissions Processing System.
In April 2024, the board noted that it would no longer condone illegal admissions conducted outside of the CAPS.
The board in a bulletin warned candidates to desist from accepting admissions offered by the institutions without going through it.
In the statement titled, ‘Cessation of illegal/irregular admission’, JAMB reiterated that all applications of admissions to first degree, national diploma, national innovation diploma and the Nigeria Certificate in Education into full-time, distance learning, part-time, outreach, sandwich, etc, must be processed only through JAMB.
In a report tagged, ‘Compiled assessment of institutions on compliance with the 2022/2023 admission guidelines’, the board noted that it scored institutions who complied fully with admission guidelines 10 points; those with partial compliance, five points, while those institutions who failed to comply were awarded zero point.
Under the section for the conduct of full admissions on CAPS, Punch observed that 88 institutions failed to comply.
Some of the institutions are the University of Uyo, University of Abuja, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Yaba College of Technology, Plateau State University, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri and Coal City University.
Others are Crawford University, Crescent University, Ebonyi State University, Rhema University, Borno State University, Chrisland University, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Alvan Ikoku College of Education, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University.