JAMB released 2026 exam results for underage candidates under 16 on Saturday, warning scores do not mean auto admission.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has officially released the exam results of young students who wrote the latest university entrance test.
The official announcement was made public on Saturday, September 5, 2026, through a formal press statement issued in Abuja.
The examination board explained that an underage candidate for this current school year means any student who will be younger than 16 years old by September 30, 2026.
Young students, parents, and guardians across all 36 states of Nigeria were eager to see how these young candidates performed after waiting for weeks.
To check the scores easily, candidates can send the word RESULT as a text message to 55019 or 66019 using the exact phone number they used when registering for the exam.
The primary reason JAMB decided to publish these scores is to help young students and their family members know their exact marks in the entrance examination.
However, the exam body made it very clear that seeing a high score does not automatically give a young student admission into any university, polytechnic, or college of education.
Under strict government rules, higher institutions in Nigeria do not admit students who are under sixteen years old unless those students meet special high performance standards.
To qualify for special entry consideration, an underage candidate must score at least 320 marks in the entrance test and score up to eighty percent in their final high school subjects.
The board added that it is waiting for NECO secondary school results to come out before finalizing the screening process for these exceptionally bright children.
The examination board strongly warned parents not to give money to scammers who claim they can bypass the rules to get university space for underage children.
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Explaining the official decision in the statement, the spokesperson for the examination board outlined why the marks were made public.
Giving details on the announcement, Dr. Fabian Benjamin stated that “the release of the results did not confer eligibility for admission on all underage candidates, as only those who met its stringent requirements for exceptional consideration would be admitted”.
Warning parents and students against fake agents promising illegal university admission, the exam chief emphasized that the selection process will remain strictly fair.
Sounding a clear warning to the public, Dr. Fabian Benjamin added that the board cautioned against “individuals who might attempt to exploit the process by promising admission for underage candidates outside the approved procedure”. Candidates who do not meet the high score standard cannot use these published results for admission this year.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
