The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has excluded Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit, from its list of recognised institutions for the 2026/2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, raising questions about the institution’s accreditation status.
The Centre for Human Rights Accountability Network, CHRAN, disclosed this development during a press conference in Uyo on Wednesday, highlighting administrative challenges that may have prevented the institution’s recognition.
The institution, previously known as Akwa Ibom State College of Education, was upgraded to university status by the state government in December 2025. However, CHRAN’s Director, Otuekong Franklyn Isong, revealed that several anomalies have emerged since the upgrade.
Whilst evaluating tertiary education in Akwa Ibom State under Governor Pastor Umo Eno’s leadership, Otuekong Isong noted that the 2026 Appropriation Law still identifies the institution as a College of Education rather than a University of Education, casting doubt on its upgraded status.
The human rights group identified multiple structural deficiencies affecting the institution. CHRAN observed that there is no Vice-Chancellor or other principal officers typical of university administration, no Governing Council, no master plan, and no academic brief. The organisation also stated that the law establishing the university has not been made publicly available.
CHRAN criticised the institution’s management structure, which currently operates with positions labelled “acting Provost” and “Chief Administrator.” The group emphasised that such designations are inappropriate for a university, which a Vice-Chancellor should head.
The rights organisation warned that if these issues are not resolved soon, the institution could lose recognition from other federal regulatory bodies, such as the National Universities Commission, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, and JAMB.
CHRAN also appealed to union leaders at the institution, specifically the College of Education Academic Staff Union, Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, to avoid actions that could further undermine the institution’s standing. The group encouraged them to work cooperatively with the state government to address the challenges.
The exclusion from JAMB’s approved list means candidates who wrote the 2026 UTME cannot be admitted into the institution for the 2026/2027 academic session, leaving students and staff in limbo pending resolution of the accreditation issues.
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