Nigeria's education system under fire as over 1.5 million UTME candidates fail to pass in 2025, according to Peter Obi's critique.
The former governor of Anambra State and the 2023 presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has voiced significant concern over the recently released results of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). In a statement, Obi denounced the results as evidence of Nigeria's deteriorating education system.
According to a report on our website, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) released a comprehensive statistical report on Monday, reflecting that more than 1.5 million candidates scored below the 200-mark threshold commonly used by Nigerian universities for admission consideration. Out of the 1,955,069 results processed and released, only 420,415 candidates scored above 200.
The breakdown further reveals that only 12,414 candidates, or just 0.63%, scored 300 and above, placing them in the high-performance bracket. Notably, only 4,756 candidates scored 320 and above, while another 7,658 candidates earned scores between 300 and 319.
In the report, JAMB also highlighted the performance of underage candidates permitted to take the exam under special circumstances. A total of 40,247 underage candidates were allowed to participate, with only 467 (1.16%) achieving scores that meet the threshold for exceptional ability, as defined for the UTME.
Reacting to the results, Peter Obi took to his official X page to express his dissatisfaction, attributing the lackluster performance to 'the repercussions of years of insufficient investment in education.' He outlined that the disappointing results indicated profound structural issues within Nigeria's educational framework.
He emphasized, "The latest JAMB results once again highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education, a sector that should be central to our national development strategy."
In comparing Nigeria to other nations, Obi highlighted that the country's total university enrollment is around 2 million students, a number significantly lower than that of other developing countries. For instance, the National University of Bangladesh alone boasts over 3.4 million students, despite Bangladesh having only about 75% of Nigeria's population. Additionally, Bangladesh, which previously trailed Nigeria in nearly all development metrics, now excels in all major development areas and in the Human Development Index (HDI).
Turkey, with a population of approximately 87.7 million, currently has over 7 million university students, more than three times Nigeria's total enrollment.
Peter Obi reiterated his belief that education should not merely be considered a social service but rather a vital strategic investment. He declared, "Education is the most critical driver of national development and the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty. We must now invest aggressively in education at all levels if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria."
- Peter Obi, the LP's 2023 presidential candidate, has expressed his concerns about the 2025 UTME results, linking them to Nigeria's declining education system.
- JAMB reported that over 1.5 million candidates in the 2025 UTME scored below the 200-mark threshold, with only 420,415 candidates scoring above 200.
- In the high-performance bracket, only 12,414 candidates, or less than 1%, scored 300 and above, and only 4,756 scored 320 and above.
- The performance of underage candidates, permitted under special circumstances, showed only 467 scored high enough to meet the threshold for exceptional ability.
- Obi, commenting on JAMB's report, noted the significance of these results in reflecting decades of insufficient education investment in Nigeria.
- Obi compared Nigeria's university enrollment of 2 million students to other developing nations such as Bangladesh and Turkey, where university enrollment far exceeds Nigeria's numbers despite having fewer people.
- Obi urged for increased investment in education as the key to fostering national development, reducing poverty, and building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria.
