By Babatunde Emmanuel and Gbayesola Samuel

Claim

A WhatsApp message claims that the University of Ibadan (UI) has opened its admission website for registration and screening of underage candidates following an earlier memorandum regarding the 2026/2027 admission exercise.

Verdict

True. Evidence obtained by IndyPress shows that the University communicated eligible underage candidates through their registered email addresses regarding the screening exercise.

Full Text

A message began circulating on Saturday, June 13, 2026, among UI student and aspirant groups on WhatsApp. According to the message, the University of Ibadan had commenced the registration for the post-utme screening exercise for selected underage candidates seeking admission into the institution.

Similarly, earlier on Saturday, the University of Ibadan Students’ Union released a statement disputing the authenticity of the circulating message.

“The attention of the University of Ibadan Students’ Union has been drawn to a message currently circulating online, claiming to invite underage candidates to a Post-UTME screening exercise scheduled for June 16, 2026, and requesting payments of ₦2,000 as a screening fee and ₦3,000 as a portal access fee.”

The statement, dated June 13, 2026, advised members of the public to disregard the information.

“Members of the public, prospective candidates, parents, and guardians are hereby informed that this message is false, misleading, and should be disregarded. It does not originate from the University of Ibadan or any officially authorized body.”

“Candidates are strongly advised not to make any payment or take action based on unverified information circulating on social media or messaging platforms. All authentic admission-related announcements and screening information will be communicated through the University’s official channels.”

This fact-check examines whether the screening exercise for underage UI aspirants has indeed commenced.

Verification / Full Context

Findings by IndyPress show that the information regarding the screening exercise is genuine, although it applies only to a specific category of candidates.

According to information gathered by IndyPress, the admission portal became active on Friday, June 12, 2026, for the affected candidates.

Speaking with a tutor of several aspirants who requested anonymity, he explained:

“We have access to a large number of aspirants, and several underage candidates reached out to us after receiving the message purportedly from the University of Ibadan. The message was forwarded for verification. Having been engaged in this process for a while, we are able to distinguish between official communications from UI and unofficial or unverified messages. “

Below are screenshots of the schedule obtained by IndyPress.

Similarly, the Students’ Union later released a clarification regarding its earlier position on Saturday, June 13, 2026.

“We can now confirm that the information regarding the screening exercise is valid. However, it is important to note that this screening is not for all candidates. The exercise specifically applies to underage candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2026 UTME and whose details were submitted to the University for the required assessment programme.”

The Union further affirmed that eligible candidates had been contacted through their respective email addresses.

Explaining why the information was not published generally on the University’s admission portal, the Union noted that the approach was adopted to ensure that only affected candidates received the communication and to prevent unnecessary confusion among other applicants.

The Students’ Union also clarified that the general Post-UTME screening exercise for other candidates has not yet been scheduled.

According to the statement, official information regarding the broader admission process will be communicated through the University of Ibadan admission portal and other recognised communication channels when available.

As of the time of filing this report, IndyPress observed that no official announcement had been published on the University’s website news section, official social media platforms, or admission portal updates regarding the exercise.

Conclusion

Based on evidence obtained by IndyPress and the clarification issued by the University of Ibadan Students’ Union on Saturday, June 13, 2026, IndyPress can confirm that the screening exercise for eligible underage candidates is valid.

However, it is important to note that, as of the time of filing this report, the University management had not released an official public statement regarding the commencement of the exercise or its decision to communicate directly with affected candidates through email rather than through general public channels.