The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced an extension of the 2025 admissions deadline for all public universities across Nigeria. The new deadline is now November 17, 2025, replacing the earlier date of October 31.
In a statement shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, JAMB said the decision was made after a careful review of emerging circumstances affecting university admission processes nationwide.
The Board recalled that during the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions—held on July 18, 2025, and chaired by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa—the initial deadline of October 31 had been approved for all public universities to conclude their admissions.
However, according to the new statement, the extension became necessary for two main reasons:
An appeal by the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU); and
The recent accreditation of 229 new programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC) across 37 universities.
“AVCNU has specially appealed for an extension due to the disruption caused by a number of factors, including a court order directing that the status quo should remain on the 2025/2026 admission list, which was only lifted by the same court on 28th October 2025,” the statement noted.
JAMB added that the NUC’s accreditation exercise—carried out on October 29, 2025—was part of efforts to expand access to higher education in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The newly approved programmes, the Board said, are only now being integrated into the national admission schedule.
Commending universities for their diligence and cooperation in meeting the earlier deadline, JAMB said the extension aims to ensure fairness, inclusivity, and adequate processing time for all affected institutions.
The Board emphasized that the new deadline of November 17 is final and must be strictly observed.
“JAMB remains committed to ensuring a transparent and credible admission process that reflects the nation’s educational priorities while respecting institutional autonomy,” the statement concluded.
