The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has awarded a total of N710 million to six tertiary institutions in recognition of their excellence and compliance with admission procedures under the 2025 National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Award (NATAP-M).
Announced at this year’s policy meeting on admissions held in Abuja, the awards were presented to winners from the 2023 and 2024 admission cycles. JAMB Registrar stated that the institutions were assessed using five core criteria, including compliance with the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) and efforts toward inclusive, equitable admissions.
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, emerged as the overall best-performing institution, securing 14 points and receiving N500 million in recognition of its outstanding admission practices. The University of Ilorin followed as first runner-up with nine points and a prize of N75 million, while Nile University of Nigeria, a private university in Abuja, came third with six points, earning N25 million.
The awards also featured sector-specific categories. Kaduna Polytechnic was named the best-performing polytechnic with an aggregate of 10 points, while the Federal College of Education, Zaria, topped the College of Education category with 18 points. Both institutions received N50 million each. In the Innovation Enterprise Institution (IEI) category, PEFTI Film Institute, Lagos, clinched the award with four points, earning N10 million.
Explaining the selection process, the Registrar said the evaluation considered institutions with the highest number of admission-seeking candidates, admission from all states and the Federal Capital Territory, and at least 1,500 total admissions. Additional criteria included the fairest distribution of admitted candidates among catchment states, admission of foreign candidates, improvement in gender balance, and compliance with CAPS guidelines.
Since 2018, JAMB has maintained the NATAP-M awards to reward institutions that demonstrate integrity and excellence in student admissions. The initiative is part of efforts to ensure transparency, merit, and equity in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
