As the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began across the country, it was a tale of two experiences for candidates in Lagos and other states. While some centres ran without a hitch, others were plagued by delays, technical issues, and even reports of extortion.
Over two million candidates are sitting the examination in 887 centres across the federation, according to the spokesperson of JAMB, Fabian Benjamin.
On the first day of the exam, our reporters observed that some candidates were stranded in some centres while the exercise was smooth in some other centres.
It was gathered that the first exam was not held in some centres due to technical glitches.
Candidates recount experience
At Balad CBT centre in Ikorodu area of Lagos State, candidates told DevReporting that the first paper was shifted to 2.00 p.m. due to technical issues.
The candidates slated for the 2.00 p.m. examination were called into the center at 12:30 noon.
An X user, simply identified as Moyo (@Maxiking204), recounted the ordeal of a candidate who was affected by technical glitch during her examination at a Lagos centre.
Moyo explained that the candidate’s computer suddenly went off and submitted automatically, leaving her stranded.
The post reads, “@JAMBHQ you can do better please. A friend of mine was writing her UTME today and power was interrupted, only for her exam to submit automatically. Imagine it happened at Mosambell Edu-Consults Ltd. 53, Tokunbo Street, Lagos Island, Lagos.”
Delay, poor communication
At Sarinter College CBT centre, Ishawo-Agric, candidates lamented poor communication and alleged neglect by staff of the centre and JAMB officials as they were left under the sun without any communication on the conduct of the exam.
A guardian who accompanied a candidate to the centre, Mummy Warris said they arrived at the centre early but there was no information or any form of communication from the officials.
“We were left under the sun for hours before the candidates were addressed and allowed access to the centre. There was no canopy to provide shade,” she lamented.
Another parent, Afusat Lawal, said “I have been here since 12:00 noon and no one has spoken to us. We met the gate locked and students were not allowed in. There was also no sign that any student had sat the exams in the morning at the centre.”
When approached, David Joshua, a candidate who was seen sweating profusely under the sun said that he had been at the centre since 1.00 p.m. waiting to do his 2.00. p.m. examination.
Efforts to get an official to react to the claims made by the candidates and parents proved futile as they claimed that they are not allowed to speak with journalists.
However, an official who spoke briefly on the condition of anonymity simply said, “candidates will always complain”.
Extortion
While some candidates loitered around at Balad CBT centre, many other parents and candidates decried extortion from a few business operators in the area, as they were asked to pay to sit and stay under a tent outside the CBT centre.
“Do you want to sit? You will pay N200, and for staying under the tent, it’s N300 or you go and stay under the sun,” one of the business operators told DevReporting.
Candidates said they paid N200 to keep their valuables as they went into the exam centre.
A parent who pleaded anonymity expressed displeasure over the act of people she referred to as ‘tax collectors’.
She suggested N200 as a fair price, instead of charging N500 to sit under the tent.
“Even if they want to collect money, it shouldn’t be up to N500, for what? They are humans too and we can meet anywhere under any circumstance. They could peg the price at N200. N500 is too much for the students,” she said.
Splendid experience
Contrary to the bitter experience of some candidates in their centres, some others had it smooth and hitch-free in theirs.
In an interaction with the centre administrator of Lagooz Schools CBT centre, Iyana Ipaja, Mkpuma Felix said that UTME was held successfully at his centre.
“We conducted two exams and all the two went successfully,” Mr Felix said.
A candidate, Gabriel Emmanuel described his experience as very wonderful.
He told DevReporting that all the computers at the WAEC Testing and Training Centre, Ijaiye road, Ogba where he sat his UTME, worked perfectly.
“Despite the fact that we were told to wait outside for a long period of time due to the number of candidates that showed up at my centre for the exam, it was really a wonderful one,” he said.
Similarly, Adedeji Akande who sat his UTME at I- Filer International School CBT Centre in Ibadan, Oyo state described the exercise as smooth and hitch-free.
“I got to my centre as early as 6.00 a.m. and before 10.00 a.m. I was done with my exams. It was smooth, I had no issue,” he said.
Yetunde Abiodun, another candidate in Lagos also confirmed that there was no technical issue in her centre. “No technical issues or malpractice in my centre,”
Abdul Muhammad on his own part noted that though they were delayed during the arrangement process, the exam itself was hitch-free.