The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has reaffirmed that candidates with disabilities sit the same Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, answer identical questions and are evaluated against the same admission criteria as all other applicants, with no concessions granted at any stage of the process.
JEOG Chairman and former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Emeritus Prof. Peter Okebukola, stated this on Wednesday at the 2026 JAMB National Stakeholder Engagement on Inclusivity and Higher Education held at the NUC headquarters in Abuja.
“We do not lower standards for these candidates. They sit for the same UTME, answer the same questions, and are assessed by the same standards as every other candidate. I am continually amazed by how excellently they perform. Many of them are exceptionally brilliant,” Okebukola said.
He disclosed that beneficiaries of the programme include candidates with visual impairment, autism, Down syndrome, and albinism, many of whom have gone on to excel in competitive professional disciplines including Law.
The event marked the 10th anniversary of JEOG, an initiative established by outgoing JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede to promote equal access to tertiary education for persons with disabilities. Over that period, 4,216 candidates with disabilities secured admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, at an average of 53% annually.
Okebukola also addressed the role of artificial intelligence in advancing inclusive education, describing it as central to the programme’s future direction.
“One of the major issues that will shape the future of higher education is Artificial Intelligence, and we are examining how AI can improve the efficiency of inclusivity in higher education,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Dr Sonny Echono, commended Oloyede for reforms that expanded access for persons with disabilities and reinforced the UTME’s credibility. JAMB presented awards to outstanding personnel in its Information Technology Department and recognised tertiary institutions that have demonstrated commitment to inclusive admissions.
Two books were unveiled at the event. “A Peep into the Future of Higher Education in Nigeria,” produced in Oloyede’s honour, features contributions from 44 scholars. The second, “Early Start, Great Finish: Survival and Success. Manual for Underage Students in Nigerian Universities,” authored by Okebukola after consultations with 468 scholars and underage students, offers guidance for parents, lecturers, and administrators who support gifted students admitted before age 16. The first cohort of such students numbers 96.
Last Updated on July 2, 2026 by Ola Funmilayo
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