Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has released an important update for candidates who registered for its 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry screening exercise. The university is asking every applicant to log in to the ABU Post-UTME portal and check whether the application has been screened successfully.
According to the official bulletin dated 19 August 2026, candidates whose applications passed the check should see the message “your results have been screened”. Anyone who does not see that confirmation may have a registration or document problem that must be corrected. ABU warned that an unresolved error can prevent an admission application from being processed.
This is not a new admission form announcement. It is a correction notice for people who have already registered for the 2026 screening. If you applied to ABU, do not assume that payment or submission alone means the screening was successful. Return to the portal, confirm your status and act on any error shown.
What ABU candidates should do now
- Visit the official ABU Post-UTME portal through the university website.
- Log in with the correct candidate details.
- Open the screening-status section and look for the successful-screening message.
- If the application was not screened, compare the uploaded details with the reasons listed below.
- Correct the affected information immediately and submit it again where the portal permits.
- Return later to confirm that the corrected application has been screened.
Use only the official ABU portal and the contact numbers in the university bulletin. Candidates should avoid unofficial agents who promise admission or ask for payment outside the approved portal.
Why an ABU screening application may fail
ABU identified several mistakes that can cause a candidate’s result not to be screened. The first is entering O’level grades in the online fields without uploading a scanned copy of the actual O’level result. Both parts matter: the grades entered on the portal and the supporting result document must be available for checking.
A second problem occurs when the grades typed into the form do not agree with the grades on the uploaded result. Candidates should check every subject, grade, examination year and sitting carefully. A typing mistake can make an otherwise qualified application appear inconsistent.
The university also warned candidates not to upload the wrong documents in place of an O’level result. A JAMB registration slip, examination card, passport photograph or another unrelated file is not a substitute for a WAEC, NECO or NABTEB result.
Other listed causes include a wrong JAMB or O’level subject combination; a major deficiency such as no credit in English Language or fewer than the required five O’level credits; and uploading only one result when the applicant is relying on complementary results from two sittings.
ABU also rejected handwritten O’level results where candidates should instead provide a printout from the relevant examination body. Uploaded files must be complete and readable. Squeezed, cropped, faded or incomplete result images may not be accepted because the screening team cannot verify all the required details.
How to upload two-sitting O’level results correctly
If your admission requirements are met by combining two results, the university must be able to inspect both. Uploading only one sitting leaves the application incomplete, even if the grades entered online include subjects from the second sitting.
Before uploading, obtain clear result printouts for both examinations. Check that your name, examination number, year, examination type, subjects and grades are visible. Follow the portal’s instructions for adding the two sittings. If the portal requires a combined document, ensure both complete result pages are readable rather than placing tiny screenshots on one page.
Do not alter grades, examination numbers or other result details. The information entered on the form should match the official result records exactly. Where there is a genuine name or data problem, use the correction process prescribed by the examination body, JAMB or ABU instead of trying to edit a result image.
Candidates who registered with an email address
ABU specifically addressed candidates who used an email address for the screening registration instead of their JAMB registration number. The university said those candidates should register again because the earlier registration is invalid.
When re-registering, use the correct JAMB registration number and confirm every character before proceeding. A JAMB number is unique to the candidate and admission year, so an incorrect number can disconnect the ABU application from the candidate’s JAMB record.
Keep evidence of the new submission, including the acknowledgement or registration slip generated by the portal. Candidates should also check that the names and other personal information displayed after entering the JAMB number belong to them before making any further submission.
Wrong UTME or O’level subject combination
A candidate may meet the general score requirement but still be ineligible for a selected programme because of the UTME or O’level subject combination. ABU advised affected candidates to change to another appropriate programme.
Do not pick a new course only because it sounds similar to the original choice. Confirm the official subject requirements, your five relevant O’level credits and the UTME subjects accepted for the proposed programme. Where a JAMB change of course is required, complete it through an approved JAMB channel and make sure the updated choice is reflected before relying on it for admission.
This point is especially important for courses with compulsory Mathematics, English Language, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Literature in English, Economics or other specified subjects. A general five-credit result is not enough if the required subjects for the course are missing.
What candidates awaiting O’level results should know
ABU said candidates who registered without O’level results should upload them immediately once the results are available. The university needs those results to process the admission application.
If the examination body has not yet released the result, the candidate should wait for the release rather than upload a placeholder, handwritten statement or unrelated document. Once available, use a clear printout from the relevant examination body and ensure the same grades are entered correctly on the ABU portal.
Candidates should also ensure that their O’level results are available on JAMB CAPS where required. Uploading a result to a university portal and uploading it to JAMB are separate actions. Check both records so that a missing JAMB upload does not delay admission after the university screening is completed.
Important upload checks before resubmitting
- Use a clear scan or high-quality photograph with all four edges visible.
- Do not crop out the candidate’s name, examination number, year or examination body.
- Confirm that every subject and grade can be read when the file is opened.
- Upload the correct document under the correct label.
- Make sure typed grades match the uploaded result exactly.
- Include both results if using two sittings.
- Check the JAMB number and course before final submission.
- Save or print the acknowledgement after a successful correction.
ABU also advised candidates to be careful when using a cafe operator. The applicant remains responsible for what is entered and uploaded. Stay with the operator, inspect every field and open each file before the final submission. Do not hand over details and leave without reviewing the completed application.
ABU screening enquiries
The official bulletin listed the following numbers for enquiries: 07076806821, 08111465297 and 09020017135. Candidates should contact the university through these published lines when a genuine portal issue cannot be resolved.
When making an enquiry, explain the problem briefly and have your JAMB registration number and evidence of registration ready. Do not post passwords, payment-card information or other sensitive details publicly. University officials do not need a candidate’s card PIN or one-time password to check a screening complaint.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if ABU has screened my result?
Log in to the ABU Post-UTME portal and check the screening status. The university says successful candidates will see the message that their results have been screened.
What if my grades were entered but I did not upload the result?
Upload a clear scanned copy or official printout of the result. Entered grades without the supporting O’level document are one of the reasons ABU listed for unsuccessful screening.
Can I use two O’level sittings?
Where the programme permits two sittings, upload the complete results for both. Do not enter grades from two sittings and upload only one result.
What should I do if I registered with my email instead of my JAMB number?
ABU says the earlier registration is invalid and the candidate should register again using the correct JAMB registration number.
Can I change course after a subject-combination error?
ABU advised candidates with an unsuitable UTME or O’level combination to change to an appropriate programme. Confirm the new programme’s requirements and complete any necessary change through the approved JAMB process.
Should I upload a handwritten result while waiting?
No. ABU asked candidates to upload a printout from the relevant examination body. Applicants whose results are not yet released should wait and upload the official result once available.
Final advice
The key message is simple: registration is not complete until the screening status is successful. Every ABU 2026 UTME and Direct Entry applicant should revisit the portal, check the result, correct any mismatch or incomplete upload and confirm the application again. Acting early gives the university time to process the corrected information and reduces the risk of losing consideration because of an avoidable document error.
Sources: Ahmadu Bello University screening update; ABU Special Bulletins.
