The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), through its Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), has facilitated the admission of no fewer than 4,216 candidates with disabilities into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across Nigeria over the past decade.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of JEOG, Professor Peter Okebukola, during the 2026 JAMB National Stakeholder Engagement on Inclusivity and Higher Education held at the headquarters of the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja, Inclusive News reported.
JEOG was established under the leadership of the outgoing JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, to ensure that candidates with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and gain admission into higher institutions across Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, Okebukola revealed that the initiative has achieved significant success over the last 10 years, with an average of 53 per cent of participating candidates securing admission annually into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
He noted that beneficiaries of the programme include candidates with visual impairment, autism, Down syndrome, albinism and other disabilities.
According to him, JEOG maintains the same academic standards for all UTME candidates, emphasizing that candidates with disabilities answer the same examination questions as every other applicant.
“We do not lower standards for them. They answer the same questions as every other candidate. I am continually amazed by how excellently they perform. Many of them are exceptionally brilliant,” Okebukola said.
He added that several beneficiaries have gained admission to study competitive courses such as Law and other professional programmes, demonstrating that disability is not a limitation when adequate support systems are in place.
The stakeholder engagement also reflected on the programme’s achievements over the past decade while examining how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be harnessed to strengthen inclusive higher education in Nigeria. Okebukola explained that AI has the potential to improve accessibility, provide enhanced learning support and make inclusive education more effective for students with disabilities.
As part of activities commemorating the programme’s anniversary, two books were unveiled. One, A Peep into the Future of Higher Education in Nigeria, was produced in honour of Professor Oloyede and features contributions from 44 scholars on the future of Nigeria’s higher education system.
The second publication, Early Start, Great Finish: Survival and Success – Manual for Underage Students in Nigerian Universities, authored by Okebukola, provides guidance for parents, lecturers, university administrators and other stakeholders on supporting exceptionally gifted students admitted into universities before the age of 16.
The event also featured tributes to Oloyede from key education stakeholders. The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, commended the outgoing JAMB Registrar for reforms that have strengthened the credibility of the UTME while expanding access to higher education for persons with disabilities.
JAMB also honoured outstanding members of its staff, particularly personnel in the Information Technology Department, for their innovation and dedication. In addition, several tertiary institutions received awards in recognition of their commitment to admitting and supporting students with disabilities, underscoring the Board’s continued drive toward a more inclusive higher education system.
Source: Inclusive News.
