Admission into higher institution in Nigeria has been a peristing problem as students await JAMB/UTME year-after-year hoping the next JAMB/UTME might provide them opportunities of gaining admission to the universities.

As of June 2023, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) disclosed that 1.8 million candidates wrote the JAMB examination in 2022 out of which a total of 1.44 million candidates passed. Yet, only 557,626 gained admission into universities across the country. Therefore, about 880,000 students were left stranded without admission.

The IJMB examination program therefore provides opportunities for these students to study and gain admission into 200 level of any University in Nigeria since the programme has been approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Recognizing the frustration encountered by the teeming prospective students in the old Northern Region, the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) was established in 1976 by the Interim Common Services Agency (ICSA). ICSA itself was established by the government of the old Northern Region of Nigeria to provide educational and social services to the people of the region.

The first Interim Joint Matriculation Board Examination (IJMBE) was held in 1977 for all students who had undergone the IJMBE post-secondary education program in the existing schools of Basic/ Preliminary studies which had replaced the Higher School Certificate Examination (HSCE). Presently, IJMB is broader in scope for it has been approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria as a platform for securing admission into higher institution in the country.

IJMB now serve as an Advanced Level Examination which guarantee candidate admission into 200level. The Board is administered by the Institute of Education of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Other members of the board include representatives of various education institutions such as Joint Admission Matriculation Board; Federal University of Technology, Minna.

IJMB certificate is presently recognized and accepted in more than 80% of Nigeria Federal, State and Private Universities. Thus, prospective candidates can check Section 2.2 of JAMB BROCHURE to confirm its legibility. On a yearly basis, about 20,000 applicants put in for the programme in which more than 70% successfully secure admission with it into 200 level to their preferred institution & course. The Programme is certified by Nigeria University Commission (NUC) as an Advanced level examination that qualify students into 200level via Direct Entry into Nigerian Universities.