NOA Urges JAMB to Compensate Affected UTME Candidates
…Commends JAMB’s Transparency
By Patience Ikpeme
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to consider appropriate compensation for candidates affected by the irregularities in the recently concluded 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), as part of measures to mitigate the emotional and psychological toll experienced during the exercise.
In a statement issued by the Deputy Director of Media and Communication at NOA, Mr. Paul Odenyi, the Director General of the agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, encouraged JAMB to take further steps beyond remedial resits by introducing measures that recognize the stress and anxiety endured by thousands of candidates and their families.
“While recognition of mistakes is the first step, redemption and restitution are other necessary steps to be taken. Having decided to provide another opportunity to the candidates as a way of redeeming the errors, it is imperative that JAMB considers appropriate compensation to mitigate the stress and anxiety these candidates may have suffered,” Issa-Onilu said.
The NOA also praised JAMB for its openness in addressing the problems encountered during the 2025 UTME. According to the agency, JAMB’s willingness to publicly acknowledge operational lapses demonstrated a rare commitment to institutional responsibility and accountability in the public service space.
Mallam Issa-Onilu commended the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, for his transparent handling of the situation. He described the Registrar’s conduct as an example of the moral courage expected from leaders in public office.
“This act of forthrightness is not only a testament to Professor Oloyede’s personal values but also aligns with the principles of the National Values Charter (NVC), which enjoins all public institutions to operate with the highest standards of transparency and accountability,” Issa-Onilu stated.
He reiterated NOA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the governance culture in Nigeria, one grounded in integrity and mutual trust between citizens and public institutions. He said the way JAMB responded to the UTME challenges should serve as a guide for other government bodies in building public confidence through honest engagement.
“When institutions own their mistakes and act to correct them, they earn the respect and confidence of the people,” he added.
On Wednesday, JAMB officially admitted that certain errors had affected the conduct of the 2025 UTME, citing a mix of human and technological issues as the cause. The board made it clear that the problems were not the result of sabotage.
According to Professor Oloyede, a thorough review revealed the irregularities, prompting the decision to conduct a resit for 379,997 candidates in select states, including Lagos, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia. The affected candidates will be notified via SMS, he confirmed.
The NOA used the occasion to reinforce its campaign to embed the National Values Charter in every sphere of public life. The Charter outlines core ethical principles that should guide both public officials and citizens, including integrity, accountability, and transparency.
Mallam Issa-Onilu maintained that the values captured in the Charter are essential to fostering a fair and functional society. He described leadership as a shared duty between citizens and public servants alike, adding that the NOA will continue to push for responsible governance and value-oriented citizenship across all levels. “These values are not optional—they are the pillars of a just and equitable society,” he said.
