The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a fresh warning to prospective university and other tertiary institution students, cautioning them against accepting admission offers outside its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
The examination and admission regulatory body said admissions offered outside its approved process might not be recognised as valid, potentially putting candidates’ academic journeys and admission records at risk.
JAMB issued the warning on Monday, October 12, 2026, through a message shared on its official social media platforms as part of efforts to educate candidates about illegal admissions and how to avoid them.
The board urged prospective students to verify their admission status through CAPS before accepting any offer, stressing that candidates should not rely solely on messages or promises from institutions or individuals claiming to have secured admission for them.
According to JAMB, accepting an offer outside the approved process could create complications with candidates’ admission records and other academic procedures.
The warning accompanied an episode of the board’s JAMB Explained series, which addresses what makes an admission illegal, the consequences of accepting an unapproved offer and the steps candidates can take to protect themselves.
JAMB emphasised that candidates must ensure their admission offers are processed through the official system before proceeding with registration or other admission-related activities.
The Central Admissions Processing System was introduced to automate and coordinate admission processing into Nigerian tertiary institutions, helping candidates track offers and enabling institutions to manage admissions within an approved framework.
Through CAPS, candidates can check their admission status and confirm provisional offers, while institutions submit and process admissions through the established system.
The platform is also designed to improve transparency, reduce irregularities and provide candidates with clearer information about their admission choices.
JAMB’s 2026 admission guidelines state that admission offers must come through the board and be reflected on its e-Facility platform, while admissions without a JAMB admission letter are not recognised by the board.
The board has repeatedly warned that candidates who accept admissions outside CAPS do so at their own risk and that it will not recognise or condone such offers.
The latest advisory comes as Nigerian institutions continue processing admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session, a period when many candidates are eager to secure places in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
With competition for admission and the pressure to begin higher education, some candidates may be tempted to accept offers communicated through unofficial channels without checking whether they have been properly approved.
However, JAMB’s warning highlights the importance of verifying admission information directly through official platforms rather than relying on verbal assurances, unofficial letters or claims that an offer has already been secured.
Candidates who receive an admission offer should log into their JAMB e-Facility accounts, access the admission-status section and check CAPS to confirm whether the offer appears on the system.
Where an offer is displayed, candidates should follow the platform’s instructions to accept or reject it as appropriate and ensure that their admission details are correctly recorded.
Candidates who cannot confirm an offer are advised to seek clarification through official JAMB channels and the institution’s authorised admission office before making payments or completing further registration procedures.
The board’s position also places responsibility on tertiary institutions to comply with approved admission procedures and ensure that offers are properly processed and documented.
For candidates, an admission offer that cannot be verified through the recognised system could create problems later, including difficulties with admission documentation and related academic processes.
The warning reinforces JAMB’s wider effort to maintain a centralised admission framework and ensure that admission records are processed through the established national system.
As the 2026/2027 admission exercise progresses, prospective students are encouraged to remain vigilant, protect their personal information and confirm the authenticity of admission offers before taking the next step.
Ultimately, JAMB’s message is clear: candidates should verify their admission status through CAPS and the official e-Facility platform rather than risk their academic future by accepting unapproved offers.