There are catchment areas for all state Universities in Nigeria and for some of the Federal Universities. By way of definition, a catchment area is the area and population from which a city or individual service attracts visitors or customers. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school (Wikipedia, 2014).
What is the implication of this catchment area?
This means that students from catchment areas get preference treatments over those from other states during admission. Note that students will still be admitted on merit but there slots reserved for students from catchment areas. They have different cut-off marks for admission and if they are met, they are admitted over applicants from other states.
Let us use the case of UNILAG as an example. The photo below shows the cut-off marks used by UNILAG for 2013/2014 admission. In there, you would see the merit cut-off marks in one column and cut-off points for applicants from catchment states. So, the fact that you have scored the required cut-off mark does not necessarily guarantee you admission. You will have to wait to see how many candidates are taken on merit and those that will come in because they are from admission catchment area/states.
Still on the UNILAG example, if you got an aggregate cut-off point of 64.88 and you are from a catchment state, you would be considered for admission. If you are not from any of the catchment areas, you have to get a cut-off make of 69.13.
So what are the catchment areas for universities in Nigeria?
- University of Benin (UNIBEN): Edo Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Rivers
- University of Calabar (UNICAL): Cross-Rivers Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Rivers
- University of Jos (UNIJOS): Plateau Benue, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plareau
- University of Lagos (UNILAG): Lagos Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun
- University of Ilorin (UNILORIN): Ilorin Benue, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plareau, Sokoto, Zamfara
- University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID): Borno Adamawa, Borno. Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe
- University of Uyo (UNIUYO): Akwa-Ibom Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Edo, Rivers
- Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK): Anambra, Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo
- Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria: Kaduna Adamawa , Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Yobe, Zamfara, Taraba
- Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU): Bauchi Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe
- Bayero University Kano (BUK): Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara
- Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA): Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ondo
- Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMinna): Minna Niger, Benue, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Zamfara
- Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO): Imo Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu
- Federal University of Technology, Yola (FUTYola) now Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola (MAUTECH): Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe
- Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ife: Osun, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ondo
- Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUSOK): Sokoto Jigawa, Kwara, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara
- University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN): Enugu Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Rivers
Nigerian Universities with NO CATCHMENT AREAS!
- University of Abuja (UNIABUJA)
- University of Ibadan (UI)
- Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU)
- Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM)
- University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT)
- Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB)
- Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE)
So, having read this, when you are registering for the 2015 JAMB UTME, consider the Universities you choose carefully. In fact, many of these specialized Federal Universities do not have catchment areas.
You may also want to check out the official list of accredited JAMB registration centers all over Nigeria. We have also written a short guide on how to register for the 2018 JAMB UTME.
We wish you the very best in your exam, come 2015!!!