No fewer than 501 blind candidates are scheduled to sit for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on April 28 and 29, 2025, across 11 designated centres nationwide. This was revealed by Professor Peter Okebukola, Chairman of the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), during a media briefing on preparations for the upcoming special needs UTME.
Blind Candidates to Take Same Standardized Exam as Others
According to Okebukola, these candidates will write the same examination papers as regular candidates, with no reduction in standards. JEOG, which was set up by JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede in 2017, is tasked with ensuring the smooth and inclusive conduct of UTME for blind and other special needs candidates.
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“Candidates take the same test papers as regular candidates, and standards are not lowered in any form,” Okebukola emphasized.
JEOG Introduces Second Round of Bimodal Testing
This year, JEOG will once again implement a bimodal system of test administration:
- Fully-Braille
- Fully Read-Aloud
Candidates can choose the method that suits them best, and each center is fully equipped to handle both formats.
Locations and Coordinators of the 11 Centres
Each of the 11 centres is headed by a respected academic, many of them former vice-chancellors or senior academics. Notable centres and coordinators include:
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- Lagos (107 candidates) – Prof. Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun
- Kano (91 candidates) – Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello
- Oyo (69 candidates) – Prof. Taoheed Adedoja
- Abuja (41 candidates) – Prof. Sunday Ododo
- Enugu (50 candidates) – Prof. Emeritus Mosto Onuoha
Others include centres in Ado-Ekiti, Bauchi, Benin, Kebbi, Jos, and Yola.
UTME Registration Refund and Welfare Support
In a remarkable gesture of support, 84 SSCE-qualified blind candidates will receive an on-the-spot refund of their UTME registration fees during the exam. JAMB will also continue providing:
- Free accommodation for blind candidates and their guides
- Free Braille slates and styluses
- Customized T-shirts
- Free meals throughout the exam period
- Transport assistance
“No other African country comes near offering such kind gestures,” Okebukola added, praising JAMB and Prof. Oloyede for their commitment to equal access.
Admission Prospects and Previous Year’s Success
In 2024, over 70% of blind and albino candidates under JEOG received admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions. Successful candidates were admitted into Medicine, Law, Computer Science, Special Education, and various Engineering and Arts programmes.
They gained admission into universities like:
- University of Ibadan
- Ahmadu Bello University
- University of Lagos
- Bayero University Kano
- Federal University Oye-Ekiti
- Covenant University
- Obafemi Awolowo University
- University of Port Harcourt
- Among many others
Conclusion
Professor Okebukola hailed JAMB’s continued investment in inclusive education, adding that the 2025 UTME once again sets a high standard for equal opportunity in African higher education systems.
The UTME for blind candidates represents not just an exam, but a demonstration of Nigeria’s leadership in promoting accessibility, fairness, and dignity for all students.