Federal Gov’t Declares Admission Into Tertiary Institutions Outside CAPS Illegal

The Federal Government has declared that any admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) will be considered illegal.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, issued the warning on Tuesday during the 2025 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja.

Alausa cautioned universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education against bypassing the CAPS platform, stating that both institutions and individuals involved in illegal admissions would face severe sanctions.

“Any admission conducted outside CAPS, regardless of its intention, is illegal. Sanctions may include withdrawal of institutional assets and prosecution of culpable officers or council members,” he said.

CAPS, introduced in 2017, was designed to automate and streamline the admission process, eliminating human interference and ensuring fairness.

The minister emphasised the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in higher education, noting that while academic boards initiate admissions, JAMB remains the statutory body responsible for regulating the process.

He urged institutional heads and governing councils to intensify oversight to prevent malpractice and assured that compliance would be closely monitored in collaboration with JAMB.

Alausa also reaffirmed the integration of the National Identification Number (NIN) into the JAMB registration process, saying it had significantly reduced identity fraud and multiple registrations. “Any abuse of the NIN system will be identified and punished,” he warned.

Highlighting inefficiencies in the system, Alausa presented data showing a significant gap between available admission quotas and actual student intake, especially in critical fields such as agriculture, education, engineering, and health sciences.

He stressed the need to expand capacity within existing institutions rather than create new, underutilised ones.

“The problem is not access, but alignment and capacity. Over 120 universities received fewer than 50 applications in the current cycle,” he said.

In his remarks, chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Senator Shuaib Salisu, called for the criminalisation of fraudulent admission practices and stricter sanctions against institutions that exploit loopholes in the system.

He urged institutions to desist from misleading students into flawed admissions and assured the Senate would push for legislation to hold admission officers and management accountable.

Salisu also advocated for a more inclusive education system to promote peace and economic development.