The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned universities and other tertiary institutions against issuing admission letters to candidates, insisting that only the Board is statutorily empowered to issue official admission letters in Nigeria.

The Board also cautioned that admissions conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) are illegal and invalid, warning that candidates admitted through unauthorised channels could encounter difficulties when seeking mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, gave the warning on Thursday, October 15, 2026, when he received a delegation from Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja, during a courtesy visit to his office.

According to the Registrar, some institutions issue documents purporting to offer admission to candidates, thereby creating the impression that such admissions are officially recognised.

He noted that candidates could easily be misled into believing that admission letters issued directly by institutions were valid, even when they had not fulfilled the necessary requirements through the Board’s approved admission process

Aina, therefore, urged institutions engaging in the practice to desist immediately and take responsibility for ensuring that prospective students obtain the appropriate admission documents from JAMB.

He explained that the Federal Ministry of Education had directed that all admissions into tertiary institutions be processed through CAPS, which serves as the approved platform for managing and confirming admissions.

The Registrar stressed that institutions were not permitted to substitute their own admission letters for the official JAMB admission letter issued after candidates had accepted their offers through CAPS.

He further emphasised that admission obtained through the approved platform was essential for official recognition, including eligibility for NYSC mobilisation and other related processes.

The warning underscores JAMB’s position that compliance with the national admission framework is mandatory for tertiary institutions and candidates seeking admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

The Board’s position also highlights the need for prospective students to verify their admission status through the appropriate channels before accepting admission offers or relying on documents issued by individual institutions.