In a landmark move underscoring Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive education, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that 501 blind candidates will sit for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in a specially designed initiative aimed at leaving no one behind in the nation’s academic journey.
The examination, scheduled to hold between April 28 and 29, 2025, will take place across 11 specialized centres nationwide and is being coordinated by the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG)—a bold inclusion strategy introduced by the JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, in 2017.
Addressing journalists during a press briefing in Abuja, Professor Emeritus Peter Okebukola, Chairman of JEOG and former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), highlighted the phenomenal rise in participation of blind candidates in recent years. “From 348 candidates in 2022 to 529 in 2024, and now 501 for 2025—this is not just growth in numbers, but a growth in hope, access, and opportunity,” he said.
Okebukola emphasized that the candidates write exactly the same UTME papers as all other candidates across the country. “There are no shortcuts, no reduced standards, no compromises in quality or difficulty,” he said. “Blind candidates are assessed on the same academic scale, and they continue to excel.”
A Model for Africa
He praised JAMB’s leadership under Professor Oloyede, calling the initiative “a beacon of hope and a model of inclusion on the African continent.” According to him, most African countries still lag behind when it comes to offering equitable access to blind or visually impaired students. “JAMB has raised the bar in disability-inclusive education. Other African nations can draw inspiration from this commitment.”
The JEOG initiative is more than just an accessible exam process. Each year, JAMB provides a full suite of support services for blind candidates including:
- Free hotel accommodation
- Transportation support
- Daily meals
- Customized T-shirts
- Braille tools
- And now, refunds of UTME registration fees for qualified blind candidates.
Two Format Options: Braille or Read-Aloud
For the second consecutive year, candidates have the choice of either a Fully-Braille format or a Fully Read-Aloud format—depending on their preference and degree of visual impairment. This thoughtful flexibility is a game-changer, ensuring candidates can focus on showcasing their intellectual capabilities without being held back by format limitations.
Lagos, Kano, and Oyo Lead the Way
Lagos State tops the chart in candidate turnout, hosting 107 blind candidates, followed by Kano (91), Oyo (69), Enugu (50), and other states. Each of the 11 centres is coordinated by top-ranking Nigerian academics, many of whom are former vice-chancellors or professors in the field of education, disability studies, or special needs development.
Changing Lives Through Access
The impact of this initiative is already profound and measurable. In 2024, approximately 70% of blind candidates who sat for the UTME gained admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria.
“These are not just statistics; these are lives transformed,” Okebukola noted. “From Law and Medicine to Engineering, Education, and even Mass Communication, blind students are enrolling and excelling in a broad range of academic disciplines.”
Nationwide Academic Inclusion
Institutions welcoming these brilliant minds include the University of Ibadan (UI), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Covenant University, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and several state-owned institutions across the six geo-political zones.
A Future of Possibilities
As JAMB continues to break barriers and redefine what’s possible in Nigeria’s educational landscape, the message is clear: disability is not inability, and access to higher education should be a right, not a privilege.
“JEOG is ensuring that the dream of university education is not denied simply because one cannot see. In fact, many of these students are seeing the future more clearly than ever—with their minds and their hearts,” Okebukola concluded.
With inclusive innovations like this, JAMB is not just administering exams—it is rewriting the narrative of possibility, inclusiveness, and equality in Nigerian education.
