JAMB announces temporary shutdown of CAPS portal

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has temporarily suspended its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) due to technical issues with its hosting arrangements. This announcement was made via JAMB's official X account on Thursday. The disruption occurs during a crucial phase of the admission process and may impact candidates, institutions, and other users who depend on the platform for admission-related activities.

CAPS is JAMB's centralized system for managing admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions, handling institutional recommendations and allowing candidates to access admission offers. JAMB has expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and assured that efforts are underway to resolve the technical problems and restore access promptly.

The Board is currently engaging with the hosting organization to address the issues. It has appealed to affected users for patience and understanding while the challenges are resolved. The temporary shutdown is particularly concerning as admissions into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education are now required to be processed through CAPS.

The Federal Government made this declaration in July 2025, emphasizing the importance of transparency, fairness, and accountability in admissions. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, directed all relevant authorities to comply with approved admission procedures. JAMB introduced CAPS in 2017 to centralize and automate the admissions process for Nigerian tertiary institutions.

The platform enables institutions to submit admission recommendations and allows candidates to monitor their status and accept provisional offers. CAPS aims to improve coordination between JAMB and institutions and reduce admission processing irregularities. Recently, JAMB approved a one-time update of registered GSM numbers and email addresses for candidates facing difficulties accessing their original contact details.

This update, launched on September 21, 2026, costs N4,000 and can be completed at home. Candidates who complete the verification will not need to pay their institutions for additional verifications, as their results can be used for screening, admission processing, and other administrative purposes.