The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) is moving to centralise Higher National Diploma admissions across Nigerian polytechnics, allied institutions, and colleges of health technology. Starting this session, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will handle all HND placements. The NBTE issued a circular dated September 9, 2026, signed by Executive Secretary Prof. Idris Bugaje, addressing rectors and provosts of the affected institutions. This policy shift follows a meeting involving the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, alongside JAMB, the National Youth Service Corps, and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Curbing Illegality and Protecting Graduates
The Board stated that the centralisation of HND admissions is aimed at curbing what it described as “illegal and compromised admissions.” NBTE officials argued that unregulated admissions could jeopardise graduates’ mobilisation for the NYSC scheme. The circular explicitly states that all HND admissions in all institutions shall be taken over by JAMB to provide a centralised process and avoid illegal and compromised admissions, jeopardising students’ mobilisation for NYSC after HND.
Under the new arrangement, integrating HND admissions into JAMB’s system will ensure students are admitted only into accredited programmes and within approved institutional carrying capacities. With digitisation, there shall be no hiding place for illegal admissions, according to the Board. The directive also requires all part-time ND admissions to pass through JAMB, while the number of part-time students an institution can admit is capped at 50 per cent of its approved full-time admission quota.
Guidelines for a New Process
Despite the sweeping changes, institutions must still prepare for a structured intake. The Board said it would immediately develop HND admission guidelines and submit them to JAMB to guide the digital admission platform. These guidelines are expected to address the required waiting period for National Diploma holders before proceeding to HND. They will also cover exemptions applicable to certain health-related ND programmes.
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Reacting to the development, JAMB’s Head of Media and Information, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed the body would comply. He said, “It’s a directive from above and ours is to comply to ensure that the good intentions of the government are achieved.” The circular also provides that NCE holders seeking admission into HND programmes must apply through JAMB under “direct admission.” These candidates must first obtain a valid National Diploma before progressing to HND studies.
Addressing NYSC and Licensing
There is a specific focus on NYSC mobilisation requirements. The NBTE reaffirmed an earlier directive prohibiting the presentation of candidates holding a combination of NCE and HND qualifications for NYSC mobilisation. Only the ND and HND certificates will be recognised for NYSC mobilisation in such cases. The Board warned rectors and provosts to ensure strict compliance with the new admission framework. Violations could attract regulatory sanctions, including the withdrawal of an institution’s operational licence.
Additionally, the minister has approved the resolution of outstanding cases involving legally admitted ND part-time and HND full-time candidates. This action aims to enable their mobilisation for NYSC as soon as possible. While the policy promises a cleaner system, the shift creates logistical challenges for institutions that have historically managed admissions independently. The success of the new framework depends heavily on how quickly the NBTE-developed guidelines are integrated into JAMB’s existing digital systems.
