JAMB Flags UTME Top Scorer Over Alleged Identity Discrepancy

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has raised concerns over the credentials of Chinedu Okeke, the highest scorer in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), citing inconsistencies in his academic records and identity.

Okeke, who scored 375 out of 400 and applied to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lagos, is currently under scrutiny after JAMB claimed he is registered in its system as a fourth-year Medical student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). According to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, the board contacted UNN, which confirmed that Okeke remains enrolled and in good academic standing. The board alleges that the candidate altered his personal information before registering for the 2025 UTME.

The development has drawn public criticism and renewed concerns about the reliability of JAMB’s identity verification process, particularly its integration with the National Identity Number (NIN) system, which has been mandatory for UTME registration since 2021. Education technology expert and CEO of Educare, Alex Onyia, disputed the board’s claims, attributing the confusion to a possible data integration error on JAMB’s side and stating that Okeke had corrected his NIN-linked data in 2021. He also criticised JAMB for what he described as a hasty public statement without thorough internal clarification.

In response, JAMB reiterated in a statement by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, that the candidate’s NIN-linked records list him as a native of Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos State, not Anambra as widely reported, and confirmed that he had previously sat for UTME in 2021 from Lagos. The board emphasised that it would maintain Okeke’s status as a bona fide student until proven otherwise. However, it warned that if formal withdrawal from UNN is confirmed, it would notify the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to initiate delisting procedures.

JAMB maintained that its review was based strictly on official records and not on social media commentary. The agency also rejected claims that it had retrieved incorrect information from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). Investigation into the matter is ongoing.