The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State, has been named as the best institution in Nigeria at the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) National Tertiary Admissions’ Performance-Merit Award (NATAP-M Award) for the combined admission years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025.
Meanwhile, data released by JAMB at its 2025 policy meeting on Tuesday revealed that Computer-Based Test Centres in Imo and Anambra states topped the list of CBT Centres nabbed for fingerprinting malpractices.
In total, about 19 centres were nabbed nationwide, with Anambra having six, Imo with four, Abia with one, Edo with one, Kano with two centres, Ebonyi, Delta, Kaduna, Rivers and Enugu with one centre each.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during his presentation, also noted that impersonators also made use of albinos for the purpose of image bending and remote uploads, among others.
The award was held during the 2025 JAMB policy meeting and 5th edition of the National Tertiary Admissions’ Performance-Merit Award (NATAP-M Award), in Abuja on Tuesday.
ABU Zaria was awarded ₦500 million prize money after securing 14 points in the overall category of five elements of the award.
The University of Ilorin emerged as second best institution with nine points and got a cash prize of ₦75 million while Nile University Abuja came third with six points and a cash prize of ₦25 million.
Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna emerged as the Best Polytechnic with 10 points and got the ₦50 million prize at the sectoral awards while Federal College of Education, Zaria emerged as the best College of Education with 18 points and won the ₦50 million prize in the year under review.
For Innovation Enterprise Institutions, PEFTI Film Institute, Lagos emerged winner with four points and a cash prize of N10 million.
ABU) Zaria has won several awards in several categories since the Inception of the National Tertiary Admissions’ Performance-Merit Award (NATAP-M Award.
The university was recognized for being the “Most National Institution in 2019 and for having the highest number of international students in 2020. ABU also received a prize for being the second most subscribed university and the university with the highest number of admitted students.
