This April, 501 blind candidates across Nigeria will take the 2025 UTME in a special initiative by JAMB designed to ensure no one is left behind in the pursuit of higher education. The exams, which will be held in 11 centres from April 28 to 29, are being coordinated by the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG).
Professor Emeritus Peter Okebukola, chairman of JEOG, revealed this during a press briefing in Abuja. He noted the impressive growth in participation—from 348 blind candidates in 2022 to 529 in 2024.
“These students take the same tests as all other candidates. No exceptions, no reduced standards,” he said.
JEOG was set up in 2017 by JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, to ensure fair exam access for candidates with special needs. Since then, JAMB has gone beyond just accessibility. Each year, it offers free hotel stays, transportation support, meals, customized t-shirts, Braille tools—and now, refunds for UTME registration to qualified blind candidates.
“Other African countries have a long way to go to match this level of care,” Okebukola added. He shared that for the second year, blind candidates can choose between a Fully-Braille or Fully Read-Aloud format.
Lagos leads with the highest number of candidates (107), followed by Kano (91), Oyo (69), Enugu (50), and several other locations. The coordinators of these centres include respected academics, many of them former vice-chancellors.
The impact is already showing. In 2024 alone, about 70% of these candidates gained admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to study diverse courses—from Law and Medicine to Engineering and Special Education.
They were admitted into leading institutions like the University of Ibadan, UNILAG, OAU, Covenant University, ABU, UNN, and dozens of others nationwide.
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