JAMB announces date for 2026 UTME registration

By Isa Isawade

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the date for commencement of registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

According to the examination body, registration will commence on Monday, January 26 and end on February 28 at all approved Computer-Based Test centres nationwide.

Speaking in Lagos on Saturday at a meeting with Commissioners for Education ahead of the UTME and Direct Entry exercises, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, explained that the sale of UTME application documents would begin earlier than the actual registration.

“The sale of UTME application document, which is the ePIN, will start earlier than commencement of actual registration which is January 19 to February 26.

“Actual UTME registration period is between January 26 to Febuary 28 at all approved CBT Centres,” Oloyede announced.

He further disclosed that the mock examination selection would close on February 16, while the sale of Direct Entry application documents and ePIN vending would commence on March 2 and end on April 25.

The registrar added that, unlike last year, the UTME results of underage candidates would only be released after the completion of the entire evaluation process.

He said this was to ensure proper assessment of candidates seeking age waivers.

Oloyede used the occasion to warn all CBT centres participating in the UTME registration exercise that the body would monitor them live from JAMB headquarters.

He added that any centre whose registration activities cannot be viewed from the headquarters will not be paid, while such registration may be invalidated.

According to him, 924 centres have been screened and provisionally listed, adding that they will still undergo a final test before being fully accredited to participate in the UTME registration and examination.

Oloyede also clarified that candidates are not required to pay any service charge to CBT centres, stressing that registration fees approved by the board remain the only payments required.

Addressing concerns about distant posting, Oloyede said JAMB does not post candidates to examination towns other than those selected during registration.

He advised candidates to register early, noting that late registration could limit their chances of securing their preferred towns.