JAMB Explains 2026 UTME Admission Quota for Federal Tertiary Institutions

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has outlined the admission quota system guiding UTME admissions into federal higher institutions for the 2026 academic session.

Legitdan news report that admission into federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in Nigeria through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is guided by an established quota system approved by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

According to JAMB, the admission process is structured to ensure fairness, competitiveness, and inclusiveness across the country. The quota system is divided into three major categories: Merit, Catchment Area, and Educationally Less Developed States (ELDS).

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Under the Merit quota, 45 per cent of available admission slots are allocated strictly based on candidates’ academic performance. Candidates with very high UTME scores are given priority, and state of origin does not play any role in this category. JAMB describes this quota as the most competitive, emphasizing that merit-based admission remains the prime consideration.

The Catchment Area quota accounts for 35 per cent of admission slots. Federal institutions are allowed to give preference to candidates whose states of origin fall within their designated catchment areas. Candidates from these states have a higher chance of admission under this category, provided they meet the institution’s requirements.

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The remaining 20 per cent of admission slots are reserved for candidates from Educationally Less Developed States (ELDS). JAMB identified 23 states as ELDS, granting candidates from these states special consideration to promote educational balance across the country. The states include Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.

JAMB reiterated that the quota system is applied uniformly across all federal higher institutions and advised UTME candidates to understand how the admission structure works when making institution and course choices.

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