Mmesoma’s Three-Year JAMB Ban Expires This July for UTME Return
Education
Three years after one of Nigeria’s most high-profile examination scandals, Anambra student Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma is now eligible to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) again.
The three-year ban imposed on her by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in July 2023 is set to expire this month, restoring her right to register and participate in future UTME sessions.
In 2023, Mmesoma, then 19, was accused of forging her UTME result. She had claimed a score of 362, which would have made her one of the highest scorers that year.
JAMB, however, revealed her actual score was 249 and presented evidence that she manipulated a result slip. Following an investigation by an Anambra State panel, Mmesoma reportedly admitted to the forgery.
JAMB subsequently withdrew her result and banned her from sitting the exam for three years.
The case sparked widespread debate across the country, with many condemning the alleged malpractice while others questioned the handling of the matter and called for further independent probes.
With the sanction now lapsing, Mmesoma, who has largely stayed out of the public eye since the incident, can once again pursue tertiary admission through the official UTME route if she chooses.
JAMB is yet to issue an official statement on her eligibility as of Friday, but multiple reports confirm the ban’s automatic expiration this July.
Education stakeholders have described the development as a reminder of the importance of integrity in examinations, while others see it as an opportunity for the young student to rebuild her academic future.
No comments have been received from Mmesoma or her family at the time of this report.
