The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has announced the timetable for the commencement of registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
The examination body disclosed that UTME registration will begin on Monday, January 26, and run until February 28, across all accredited Computer-Based Test, CBT, centres nationwide.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made this known on Saturday in Lagos during a meeting with Commissioners for Education, held ahead of the UTME and Direct Entry registration exercises.
Oloyede explained that the sale of the UTME application document, known as the ePIN, would precede the registration exercise. According to him, the ePIN sales will commence on January 19 and close on February 26, while actual registration will take place between January 26 and February 28.
He also revealed that the deadline for selecting the optional mock examination is February 16, while the sale of Direct Entry application forms and ePINs will begin on March 2 and end on April 25.
The registrar noted that, unlike previous years, the results of underage candidates who sit for the UTME will only be released after the conclusion of a comprehensive evaluation process. He said the measure is aimed at ensuring proper scrutiny of candidates applying for age-related waivers.
Oloyede issued a stern warning to CBT centres participating in the registration process, stating that JAMB would monitor registration activities in real time from its headquarters. He stressed that any centre whose operations cannot be accessed live would forfeit payment, and such registrations could be cancelled.
He disclosed that 924 CBT centres have been provisionally approved for the exercise but added that they would still be subjected to a final assessment before full accreditation is granted.
The JAMB boss also clarified that candidates are not required to pay any additional service fees at CBT centres, emphasising that only the officially approved registration charges apply.
Addressing complaints about examination postings, Oloyede assured candidates that JAMB does not assign them to towns outside their chosen locations during registration. He advised prospective candidates to complete their registration early, warning that late registration may reduce their chances of securing preferred examination towns.
