Chinedu Okeke, a candidate from Anambra State, achieved an unprecedented score of 375 out of 400 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), positioning him as the highest scorer in the history of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). However, this remarkable academic feat has been mired in controversy, with JAMB questioning the legitimacy of Okeke’s participation due to alleged discrepancies in his academic and identity records.
Despite claims of resolution by education advocate Alex Onyia, JAMB has firmly denied that the issue has been settled, further intensifying public debate and casting doubt on the fate of young Okeke.
The controversy began after JAMB announced Okeke as the top scorer during its 2025 Policy Meeting in Abuja, only to later flag concerns about his eligibility.
The examination body alleges that Okeke, currently a 400-level medical student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), admitted in 2021 under Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos State, changed his state of origin to Anambra for the 2025 UTME to gain admission advantages.
The board, led by Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, claims this raises suspicions of identity manipulation and dual enrollment, which violates Nigeria’s prohibition on concurrent tertiary program registrations.
JAMB’s Head of Public Affairs, Fabian Benjamin, emphasised that data from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) confirms these discrepancies, and Okeke has not provided satisfactory clarification about his UNN status or the change in his state of origin.
Alex Onyia, CEO of Educare and a prominent education advocate, has been a staunch defender of Okeke. Onyia asserts that Okeke’s high score resulted from his dedication and preparation at Achievers Academy in Lagos, where he excelled in academic competitions.
He explains that Okeke struggled with medicine and surgery at UNN, failing three subjects in his second MB examination, prompting his family to support his transition to mechanical engineering. This required retaking the UTME with a focus on mathematics instead of biology. Onyia attributes discrepancies in Okeke’s records to a 2021 NIMC data migration error, which was corrected through JAMB’s official process.
On July 15, 2025, Onyia posted on X, claiming the issue was resolved and that Okeke could access his portal and print his result, officially securing the highest JAMB score ever.
JAMB denies clearing Chinedu Okeke’s controversial UTME score
However, JAMB swiftly rebutted Onyia’s claim, labelling it a “malicious falsehood” and accusing some individuals of exploiting the situation for social media attention and sectional politics.
The board stressed its commitment to preventing multiple admissions, stating, “A candidate cannot be running two programmes concurrently where others struggle to secure one.” JAMB warned it would not tolerate attempts to undermine its processes and vowed to pursue the case to its logical conclusion.
The dispute has fuelled public outrage, with many Nigerians accusing JAMB of unfairly targeting high-achieving students, particularly from the Southeast, drawing comparisons to the 2023 Mmesoma Ejikeme case, where a fraudulent score was exposed.
Critics, including lawyer Dele Farotimi, who is representing Okeke pro bono, argue that JAMB’s rules do not prohibit current tertiary students from retaking the UTME, provided they meet eligibility criteria. Farotimi and others have called for a public apology from JAMB, citing damage to Okeke’s reputation.
Okeke’s score of 375, achieved in English, Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, surpasses all previously verified UTME records. A rumoured 399 score in 2016 was debunked as manipulated, making Okeke’s achievement a historic benchmark. Despite this, his academic future remains uncertain as JAMB’s investigation continues. Okeke aims to study mechanical engineering at the University of Lagos, pending post-UTME screenings and the university’s cutoff marks.
The controversy has sparked broader discussions about JAMB’s verification processes and perceived regional biases. Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo praised Okeke’s achievement, highlighting it as a testament to the state’s tradition of excellence, while Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide also congratulated him. However, JAMB’s insistence on transparency and accountability has garnered support from those who emphasise the need to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s competitive admission system.
As the saga unfolds, Okeke’s case underscores the need for reforms in JAMB’s result verification and communication strategies. The delay in resolving his status, coupled with public sparring, has eroded trust in the board. For now, Chinedu Okeke’s brilliance remains a focal point of national pride and contention, with his 375 score poised to leave a lasting mark on Nigerian academic history, provided the dispute is resolved.
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