The 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has begun across Nigeria, with nearly two million candidates participating at hundreds of Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.

The examination started as planned at all accredited CBT centres in Abuja and likely across other locations nationwide.

A visit to Zinaria International School Mararaba, Nasarawa state as CBT centre, candidates arrived as early as 6am for those scheduled for the 7 a.m. session.

Speaking to NATIONAL ACCORD at the centre, the Biometric Verification Officer, Jamila Karimu disclosed that out of 250 candidates that were expected to sit for the first session, 238 candidates were successfully verified, while 12 candidates were absent.

As for the External Supervisor, Comfort Ochepo, apart from 2-3 candidates who initially found it difficult to access verification, every other things went seamless.

According to her the first session started as early as 8:10am and that the second was expected to start at 1:30pm.

On the issue of security, he noted that apart from the school security agents, external securities were deployed to maintain law and order during the examination.

Also, the Resident Monitor, Ramat Ali, disclosed that apart from the few issues of the system disconnection which were solved immediately, the examination went seamlessly.

Susan Arigu, a candidate said they have no prble logging into the system and that the exercise was hitch free.

Another Candidate, Joseph James, who told our Correspondent that he sat for last year UTME and had to resit this year because he had deficiency in his WAEC added that he found mathematics a little difficult, he believes he will scale through.

JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede assured candidates of a smooth experience. “We’ve introduced innovations to enhance the system’s credibility, efficiency, and seamlessness,” he said.

The UTME, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), tests candidates seeking university admission.

A few weeks ago, JAMB held a mock-UTME for 211,000 candidates. The board clarified that mock results would not count towards the main UTME scores. Introduced years ago, the mock-UTME helps candidates experience the exam format, overcome anxiety, and allows JAMB to test new strategies for the main exam, which began on April 24.