The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially announced that registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will commence on Monday, January 26, and conclude on February 28 at all approved Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide, in line with its earlier schedule.
The Registrar of the board, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this on Saturday in Lagos while addressing Commissioners for Education during a stakeholders’ meeting held ahead of the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry (DE) registration exercises.
According to Professor Oloyede, the sale of the UTME application form, known as the electronic Personal Identification Number (ePIN), will begin ahead of the formal registration window.
He stated, “The sale of the UTME application document, which is the ePIN, will start before the commencement of actual registration. The ePIN will be available for purchase from January 19 to February 26, while the main registration exercise will run from January 26 to February 28 at all accredited CBT centres.”
The registrar further revealed that candidates interested in participating in the UTME mock examination must make their selections on or before February 16.
He also noted that the sale of Direct Entry (DE) application forms and the vending of ePINs would begin on March 2 and end on April 25.
“The window for mock examination selection closes on February 16, while the sale of Direct Entry application documents and ePIN vending will start on March 2 and conclude on April 25,” he added.
Professor Oloyede announced a revision in the handling of underage candidates’ results, explaining that, unlike previous years, such results would only be released after the completion of a comprehensive evaluation process.
He said the move was intended to ensure a thorough and transparent assessment of candidates applying for age-related waivers.
CBT Centres To Be Under Real-Time Surveillance
Speaking on the monitoring of the registration exercise, Oloyede disclosed that all CBT centres would be placed under real-time surveillance from JAMB headquarters in Abuja.
He warned that any centre whose registration activities could not be monitored live would face strict penalties.
“Any centre whose registration process cannot be viewed from the headquarters will not be paid, and such registrations may be declared invalid,” he cautioned.
He further revealed that 924 CBT centres have been provisionally approved following a screening exercise, noting that all centres would still be subjected to a final assessment before full accreditation.
“They will all undergo a final test before they can be fully accredited,” he said.
No Extra Charges, JAMB Emphasises
The registrar reiterated that candidates are not expected to pay any additional service charges at CBT centres, stressing that only the officially approved registration fees should be paid.
He also addressed complaints regarding candidates being assigned to distant examination locations, clarifying that JAMB does not post candidates outside the towns selected during registration.
Oloyede advised candidates to complete their registration early, warning that late registration could reduce their chances of being assigned to their preferred examination towns.
He explained, “Selecting a group of towns means that candidates may be posted to any location within the chosen group.”
The JAMB boss further warned candidates to fully disclose their previous registration and admission history, revealing that some candidates were involved in examination malpractice during the previous UTME.
According to him, engaging in more than one undergraduate programme simultaneously constitutes a criminal offence.
“Failure to declare any prior admission is an offence that will attract appropriate sanctions,” he stated.
On age eligibility, Oloyede said that only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are generally eligible to sit for the UTME and be considered for admission.
However, he explained that underage candidates may be considered for waivers, subject to a rigorous evaluation process.
“Candidates who will be below 16 years by September 30, 2026, will undergo a thorough assessment to determine their eligibility for a waiver, and they must score no less than 80 percent in UTME/A-Level, PUTME, SSCE, and the exceptional candidate assessment,” he added.
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