Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to all tertiary institutions in Nigeria that any admission conducted outside the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) will be deemed unlawful and attract severe sanctions, including the possible suspension of operating licences. This declaration, announced on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, signals a major escalation in the government’s long‑running battle against illegal admissions, which have undermined the integrity of the nation’s tertiary education system for decades.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, Alausa stated that the government would no longer tolerate the practice where some universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education admit students outside the officially approved CAPS platform, often offering them courses that have not been accredited or charging illegal fees. “Any institution, whether public or private, that engages in admissions outside the JAMB CAPS framework is engaging in an illegal act. Such admissions will not be recognized, and the affected students will be wasting their time and resources,” the minister warned. He said that the government has received numerous complaints from parents and students who had reportedly been offered admission by institutions but could not find their names on the JAMB portal.
Alausa explained that CAPS was introduced to ensure transparency, fairness, and credibility in the admission process. The system allows JAMB to monitor every stage of admission, from the submission of names by institutions to the final acceptance by candidates. Under the CAPS framework, no candidate is considered admitted until they have received and accepted an offer through the platform, and their status is reflected on the JAMB portal. Admissions conducted through back channels, often referred to as “supplementary” or “illegal” lists, have no standing before the law. “If your admission is not on CAPS, it is not valid. You are not a student of that institution, no matter what paper they give you,” Alausa added.
The minister warned that institutions caught violating this directive would face graduated sanctions, starting with fines and escalating to the suspension or outright withdrawal of their operating licences. He noted that the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) have been directed to intensify monitoring and enforcement activities. Alausa disclosed that a joint task force comprising officials from JAMB, the NUC, and the Nigeria Police Force would be deployed to carry out spot checks and investigations in response to whistleblower reports.
Parents and candidates who suspect that they have been victims of illegal admission rackets have been urged to report such cases directly to the Ministry of Education’s anti‑corruption unit or to JAMB’s Complaints Unit. “Do not pay any money to anyone promising you admission outside CAPS. It is a scam,” the minister said. He emphasised that the government’s goal is to protect unsuspecting candidates from exploitation and to uphold the quality and credibility of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions from university administrators. Some vice‑chancellors, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed concern that the enforcement could expose decades of institutional practices that have unofficially tolerated “part‑time” or “pre‑degree” programmes that feed into illegal admissions. Others welcomed the move as long overdue, noting that CAPS had drastically reduced the incidence of “name‑dropping” and “quota‑busting” that were common in the pre‑CAPS era. JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who has been a consistent advocate for the full automation of admissions, described the Federal Government’s warning as “a necessary step to finally kill the ghost of illegal admissions.”
As political pressure mounts ahead of the 2027 elections, the government appears determined to demonstrate action on educational reform. However, the effectiveness of the crackdown will depend on sustained enforcement and the willingness of institutions to abandon deeply entrenched practices. For countless students awaiting admission into tertiary institutions, the message is clear: if it is not on CAPS, it is not real. The era of backdoor admissions, if the government is to be believed, is finally coming to an end.
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