2025 UTME begins with over 2m candidates

The 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), on Thursday, April 24, commenced at various Computer Based Test (CBT) centres across Nigeria.

More than two million candidates would be writing the examination nationwide.

The examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is expected to end on May 5, 2025.

At the Sascon International School CBT centre in Abuja, candidates reported a smooth and hitch-free experience.

One of the candidates at the centre, Emmanuel Ezegwu, said the examination was easier than the previous years.

“This centre is better. I wrote this examination last year but I can tell you that the experience this year is commendable. There are no issues as far as I am concerned with this exam,” he said.

An 18-year-old candidate and first-timer to write JAMB, Vitoria Bilala, described the experience as good, despite feeling a little nervous while writing the UTME.

Bilala said: “I quite commend the way they organise the examination because there were little or no hitches in this centre.

“At first, I was having technical problem but immediately I called on the supervisor, it was resolved. I felt nervous being my first time of writing this examination.”

The centre supervisor, Emmanuel Adaji, disclosed that out of 200 candidates slated for the examination, only 11 were absent.

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Speaking on the candidates’ lateness to the centre that resulted to rescheduling of their examination, Adaji advised candidates to arrive early.

He urged candidates coming from neighbouring state to make arrangements to come earlier than the day scheduled for their examinations and stay overnight if necessary.

He lauded the synergy between the centre’s management and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers, for maintaining security and orderliness at the centre.

A candidate at Future Gate Academy, Ado in Nasarawa State, Stephanie Okwori, described the 2025 UTME as “stress-free”, commending the officials for rendering assistance, as well as providing a conducive environment.

Okwori stated that the questions were manageable, allowing her to finish within the allotted time.

Another candidate at the CBT centre, Joseph Joshua, shared a similar experience.

“The biometric verification started by 6:30 a.m., which gave me enough time to settle in before the exam,” he said.

Joshua also commended the calm atmosphere and professional conduct of the invigilators, expressing optimism about his performance.

The Star