Actress Mary Njoku Queries Relevance of JAMB
Nollywood actress Mary Njoku has raised concerns about the necessity of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in the Nigerian university admission process, questioning why the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) isn’t sufficient for securing entry into higher institutions.
Taking to her Instagram Story, Njoku queried the relevance of sitting for JAMB and post-UTME screenings when students have already completed their secondary education and passed the SSCE.
“Why is it necessary to take the JAMB exam to gain admission into universities? Isn’t the SSCE sufficient?” she asked. “I don’t understand the need for JAMB and post-JAMB when the SSCE already shows we’ve completed secondary school.”
Her comments come in the wake of widespread criticism directed at JAMB over the recent mass failure recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The board has come under intense scrutiny after many candidates reportedly received unexpectedly poor results.
In response to the backlash, JAMB acknowledged discrepancies in the results of candidates from certain centres and issued an apology. Registrar Professor Is-haq Oloyede announced that affected students from 157 out of 882 centres would be allowed to retake the exam, beginning Friday, May 16.
According to the board, a total of 379,997 candidates from centres located in Lagos and the South-East are eligible for the rescheduled test.
Njoku’s remarks have added to the growing conversation about the efficiency and fairness of the current university admissions process in Nigeria.
