The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced an extension of the 2025 admission deadline for all public universities in Nigeria, moving it from October 31 to November 17, 2025.

The decision, published in JAMB’s weekly bulletin and signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, follows numerous appeals from university authorities and new accreditation updates that affected the smooth flow of the admission process in several institutions.

According to the statement, the extension became necessary after the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) requested more time to resolve disruptions caused by a recent court order halting the 2025/2026 admission exercise. The order, which had directed institutions to maintain the status quo, was only lifted on October 28, 2025, causing significant delays in admission processing.

JAMB also noted that the National Universities Commission (NUC) recently granted accreditation to 229 new academic programmes across 37 universities, expanding access to tertiary education in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Admission into these newly accredited programmes, the Board explained, required additional time to be properly integrated into the system.

“The extension is aimed at ensuring fairness and inclusivity so that no institution or candidate is disadvantaged,” JAMB stated, commending public universities for their commitment and cooperation in adhering to the admission schedule.

However, the Board emphasized that this new deadline of November 17, 2025, is final and will not be shifted again.

“This is the final adjustment,” the statement warned. “All institutions must complete their admission processes within the new timeframe to avoid any disruption to the 2025/2026 academic calendar.”

With this development, universities now have an additional two weeks to conclude admissions, giving prospective students a renewed window of hope to secure their places for the new academic session.