JAMB to Handle All HND Admissions in Polytechnics — NBTE

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has announced that all Higher National Diploma (HND) admissions in polytechnics, allied institutions and colleges of nursing sciences and health technology will now be handled by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The decision was contained in a circular dated September 9, 2026, signed by the NBTE Executive Secretary, Prof Idris Bugaje, and addressed to rectors and provosts of the affected institutions.

According to the circular, the decision followed a meeting between the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and key stakeholders including JAMB, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), NBTE and the Federal Ministry of Education.

Bugaje said the move would provide a centralised admission process and curb “illegal and compromised admissions” that could affect students’ mobilisation for NYSC after completing their HND programmes.

“All HND admissions in all institutions shall, from this session, be taken over by JAMB to provide a centralised process and avoid illegal and compromised admissions, jeopardising students’ mobilisation for NYSC after HND,” the circular stated.

It added that the Federal Ministry of Education would issue a statement on the development with further details.

The NBTE also said it would develop HND Admission Guidelines and submit them to JAMB to guide the digital admission platform, including the waiting period for ND holders before proceeding to HND and exemptions for certain ND health-related programmes.

Reacting to the directive, JAMB’s Head of Media and Information, Fabian Benjamin, said the board would comply with the decision.

“It’s a directive from above and ours is to comply to ensure that the good intentions of the government are achieved,” he said.

On part-time admissions, the circular stated that with all part-time ND admissions now under JAMB, part-time students would be capped at 50 per cent of each institution’s approved full-time quota.

The NBTE also reaffirmed its September 7 circular prohibiting the presentation of candidates with NCE/HND combinations for NYSC mobilisation.

Under the new directive, NCE holders can only gain admission into HND programmes through “direct admission” via JAMB and must first obtain a valid ND before proceeding to HND studies.

Only ND and HND certificates will be recognised for NYSC mobilisation in such cases.

The board said the Minister of Education would review the list of ND agriculture-related programmes whose candidates are exempted from the written Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, with a view to considering other programmes.

NBTE is expected to make a submission on the matter, while the Committee of Heads of Nigerian Polytechnics and Similar Institutions will provide input.

The circular warned rectors and provosts to ensure strict compliance, noting that breaches would attract “appropriate regulatory sanctions, including withdrawal of operational licence.”

Bugaje added that the minister had approved the resolution of outstanding cases involving legally admitted ND part-time and HND full-time candidates to enable them to be mobilised for NYSC as soon as possible.

According to the NBTE, the new system would also ensure that admissions are granted only for accredited programmes and within approved carrying capacities.

“With digitisation, there shall be no hiding place for illegal admissions,” the board said.

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