Parents and candidates sitting for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have reported facing multiple challenges at various registration centres since the exercise commenced on Monday, February 3.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had earlier postponed the registration from January 31 to allow for essential adjustments to its registration templates.

JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin explained in a statement that the adjustments were necessary due to the recent suspension of certain law programmes at selected universities, as submitted to the board by the Council for Legal Education. Additionally, JAMB discovered that some Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres had used deceptive facilities to gain approval, necessitating further scrutiny and the disqualification of such centres.

He assured that the additional time would ensure a smooth registration process. However, despite these adjustments, candidates and parents have reported severe difficulties, including overcrowding, power outages, and alleged extortion by some centre staff.

Frustrations at Registration Centres
Many parents have taken to social media to express their frustration over the challenges faced while trying to get their children registered.

Chibuogwu Nicodemus, Vice Principal Academics at Rex Christus College, Kubwa, Abuja, described the major challenge as the difficulty in generating profile codes, a mandatory step for registration.

“The majority of my students are yet to get their profile codes. Each time they try, they receive messages stating that no record was found or that they would be contacted later,” he said.

He also reported network failures lasting up to five hours, further delaying the process. With only two registration centres in Kubwa, he noted that the crowd was overwhelming but commended centre officials for managing the situation.

Social Media Outcry
A parent, Simeon Ogoebulem, took to Facebook to recount his ordeal:

“Today, I woke up at 4 a.m. to take my daughter to a CBT centre for the continuation of her JAMB registration. This marks the fifth day she’s been struggling to register. By the time we arrived, there was already a massive crowd. Security personnel at the gate seemed more interested in exploiting the chaos for bribes. I had to step in to help organize the process.”

On X (formerly Twitter), Toritsefe Jack alleged that some registration centres in Ikorodu, Lagos, were prioritizing candidates who paid bribes, allowing them to jump the queue.

Another user, Phreety Mrs, detailed the struggles in Calabar:

“My children leave home by 3 a.m. to get to the JAMB office, yet they are asked to pay N5,000 before being attended to. They’re girls, and I fear for their safety going out that early every day.”

In Abia, Ikechukwu Duru shared a similar experience, stating that he had been visiting a centre for a week without success.

Reports of Extortion and Poor Network
Ezra Kachi, another complainant, accused officials at the LASU CBT centre of corruption, claiming that students who refused to pay bribes were left outside in the sun while others were given priority.

A candidate, who wished to remain anonymous, shared her ordeal:

“I went on the first day but was told they had reached their daily limit. The next day, I arrived early but still didn’t get registered. It wasn’t until the third day that I was finally able to register.”

JAMB Warns Against Nighttime Registration
JAMB has warned CBT centres against conducting nighttime registrations, citing safety concerns for candidates. The board urged affected centres to immediately cease the practice.

Widespread Network Issues
In Kano, candidates and parents reported persistent network failures, limiting daily registration slots. A prospective direct entry candidate lamented:

“I’ve spent three days trying to register, but the number of slots for direct entry applicants is so limited that one centre only registers five per day.”

Fatima Garba, another candidate, expressed frustration over repeated failed attempts due to network problems.

“I’ve been coming here every day since Monday, yet I am still not registered. The network issues are really affecting us,” she said.

Parents also voiced their disappointment. Usman Musa said, “After so many years, we are still dealing with the same problems. Why can’t we get this process right?”

Sulaiman Abdullahi shared how he had to postpone an official trip to assist his daughter with registration, fearing she might make errors if left alone.

Calls for Urgent Intervention
In Lagos, students alleged that some influential schools were bribing their way to fast-track the process.

Adewale Favor, speaking from a Lagos centre, said:

“I arrived early with my pin and joined the queue, but staff prioritized school students and those who bribed them. It continued until 8 p.m., and I had to return at 6:30 a.m. the next day to finally register.”

JAMB Responds
When contacted, JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, stated that over 600,000 candidates had already been registered.

“If they are not able to register, who are we registering? Our registration process has not even reached a week. Any candidate who desires to register will get registered; they just need to be patient,” he said.

Despite JAMB’s assurances, the outcry from candidates and parents highlights the urgent need for the board to address network challenges, extortion allegations, and overcrowding to ensure a seamless registration process for all.