IIf you registered for the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Post-UTME or Direct Entry screening exercise and you’re still checking your portal every day hoping to see “your results have been screened,” you’re not alone. A lot of candidates are stuck in exactly this spot right now, and the good news is that ABU has just explained, in clear terms, why this happens and what to do about it.
This guide breaks down ABU’s official update on the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry screening exercise, so you know exactly why your status might be stuck, what mistakes are causing it, and how to correct them before it costs you your admission.
Where this information is coming from
This guide is based entirely on ABU’s Special Bulletin (Volume 18, No. 71), published by the Public Affairs Directorate, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, on Wednesday, 19 August 2026. It follows up on an earlier bulletin (Volume 18, No. 60) issued on 21 July 2026. The bulletin was signed by the Registrar, Rabiu Samaila, making it an official communication from the university.
If you registered for ABU’s Post-UTME or Direct Entry screening this year, this update applies directly to you.
Step one: check your screening status
Before doing anything else, log in to the ABU Post-UTME Portal and check your screening status.
- If you see “your results have been screened,” you’re good — no action needed on this front.
- If your status hasn’t changed, it means something in your registration needs to be fixed, and the university has listed the exact reasons why this happens.
Don’t panic if your results haven’t been screened yet. In most cases, it’s something you can correct yourself once you know what to look for.
The 8 reasons your results might not be screened
ABU listed eight specific issues that commonly stop a candidate’s results from being screened. Go through this list carefully and compare it with what you actually uploaded during registration.
- You didn’t upload a scanned copy of your O’Level result after entering your grades — or the reverse, you uploaded the document but didn’t input the grades against the subjects.
- There’s a mismatch between the grades you typed in and what’s on your uploaded O’Level result. If your portal entry says B3 in Mathematics but your uploaded result shows C4, that’s a discrepancy that will stop your screening.
- You uploaded the wrong documents — things like your examination card, JAMB registration slip, or passport photograph — instead of your actual O’Level result.
- Your JAMB or O’Level subject combination doesn’t match what’s required for your chosen course.
- You have a major deficiency, meaning you lack a credit in English Language, or you have fewer than the required five O’Level credits. This makes a candidate not admissible, regardless of other scores.
- You sat your O’Level exams in two different sittings (complementary results) but only uploaded the result from one sitting, leaving the other subjects unaccounted for.
- You uploaded a handwritten O’Level result instead of an official printout from WAEC, NECO, or the relevant examination body.
- Your uploaded result is incomplete, squeezed, or faded to the point where it isn’t legible.
Any one of these on its own is enough to stop your screening. If more than one applies to you, you’ll need to fix all of them.
What to do if any of these apply to you
Here’s exactly what ABU wants candidates to do, based on which issue applies:
If your documents have any of the anomalies above
Go back to your portal and correct them immediately. The bulletin is direct about this: if you don’t fix it, your admission will not be processed. This isn’t a “fix it whenever” situation — it needs your attention now.
If you registered using your email address instead of your JAMB registration number
Your registration is invalid, and you’ll need to re-register from scratch using your correct JAMB registration number this time.
If you have the wrong UTME or O’Level subject combination
You’re advised to change to another programme that matches the combination you actually have. Trying to force an application through with the wrong combination won’t work — it will only delay you further.
If you haven’t registered yet and you already have your O’Level results
Register immediately. The university can’t process your admission until you do.
If you’re still waiting for your O’Level results
Wait until your results are released before registering. There’s no workaround for this one — ABU cannot process an application without valid O’Level results attached.
A quick note on accuracy during registration
ABU specifically advised candidates to make sure that they — or the cyber café operator assisting them — capture and upload information accurately. This is worth taking seriously. A large number of the screening delays described in this bulletin come down to small, avoidable mistakes: a wrong grade typed in, a blurry scan, or the wrong document uploaded by accident. Taking ten extra minutes to double-check everything before you submit can save you weeks of back-and-forth later.
Real talk: this is fixable, but only if you act now
Here’s what nobody says plainly enough: a stalled screening status doesn’t mean you’ve lost your admission chances. It usually means one small, correctable error is sitting between you and being screened. But it also won’t fix itself. ABU has told candidates exactly what to check and exactly what to do — the only missing piece now is you logging in and acting on it.
Who to contact for help
If you’ve checked everything and you’re still unsure what’s wrong, or you need direct clarification, ABU has provided official contact numbers for enquiries:
- 07076806821
- 08111465297
- 09020017135
Frequently Asked Questions
My screening status still says “not screened” — does that mean I’ve been rejected? No. It means your registration has an issue that needs correcting, based on the eight reasons listed above. Rejection and an unscreened status are not the same thing.
I used my email address to register. Can I just update it, or do I need to start over? According to ABU, you need to re-register entirely using your JAMB registration number. The previous registration is considered invalid.
What if my O’Level combination doesn’t match my course? You’ll need to change to a course that matches the combination you have. ABU has been clear that a mismatched combination won’t be processed as-is.
I don’t have my O’Level results yet. Should I register with what I have? No. Wait until your results are officially released, then register. Registering without your results, or with incomplete ones, is one of the listed reasons screening gets stuck.
How do I know if my uploaded result is “faded” or “squeezed” enough to be a problem? If you personally have to strain to read any part of it on your screen, assume the screening officer will too. Re-scan or re-upload a clearer copy if there’s any doubt.
If you have any questions or need clarification about your ABU Post-UTME or Direct Entry screening status, kindly drop them in the comment section below — we’ll be glad to help.
