UTME 2026: JAMB Opens Registration, Warns CBT Centres On Fraud
Registration Begins Nationwide
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has commenced the sale of application forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with registration officially opening nationwide on Monday 26 January 2026.
According to JAMB’s weekly bulletin dated 26 January, registration will run until Saturday 28 February 2026. The Board assured candidates that the exercise would be seamless, citing mechanisms already put in place to ensure efficient service delivery at approved centres.
Candidates were advised to register only at JAMB-accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, professional registration centres, and designated JAMB offices across the country.
Biodata Corrections and Registration Fees
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting, JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, urged candidates to resolve all biodata-related issues before commencing registration. He stressed that corrections relating to names or date of birth must be processed through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
“The Board would not correct or use any data other than the one generated from NIMC,” Oloyede said.
He added that UTME registration, including that of candidates from foreign countries, would close on February 28, while e-PIN vending had already commenced.
For Direct Entry (DE) candidates, the sale of application documents and e-PINs will begin on 2 March and end on 25 April 2026. DE forms, he said, would only be sold at JAMB zonal and state offices.
The registrar disclosed that three categories of e-PINs are available: Direct Entry (₦5,700), UTME without Mock (₦7,200), and UTME with Mock (₦8,700).
Examination Dates and CBT Centre Warning
JAMB announced that the 2026 UTME would hold from 16 to 25 April 2026, while the optional Mock-UTME is scheduled for 28 March 2026.
Oloyede issued a stern warning to CBT centres against extortion, overcharging, and other fraudulent practices, stating that any centre found culpable would be delisted and prosecuted.
He further cautioned centre owners against engaging staff of questionable character, noting that proprietors would be held accountable for the actions of their employees.
‘No Vision, No Registration’ Policy
As part of stricter monitoring measures, JAMB introduced the “No Vision, No Registration, No UTME” policy. Under this rule, centres whose registration processes cannot be monitored live from JAMB headquarters in Abuja will not be allowed to operate.
Mandatory use of approved live cameras and upgraded CCTV systems covering all critical areas of CBT centres was also announced, with erring centres facing sanctions.
