..says about 1m candidates ‘ve indicated interest
By: Mercy Peter
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has warned that there will be no extension for registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
The examination body has fixed February 26, 2026 as the closing date for registration.
JAMB noted that the deadline would not be extended under any circumstance.
The board therefore urged prospective candidates intending to sit for the examination to complete their registration immediately.
Meanwhile, no fewer than one million candidates had so far indicated interest in the examination, while many had procured their ePINs and were expected to complete registration promptly.
This is contained in the board’s weekly bulletin released on Monday.
The board expressed concerns over the low turnout of candidates at several accredited registration centres at this stage of the exercise.
JAMB stated: “It said that the recurring trend of delaying registration until the last minute and then agitating for extension would not be tolerated in 2026.
“This recurring pattern, where candidates deliberately delay registration until the final days and subsequently begin to agitate for an extension, will not be entertained in 2026.
“JAMB is fully aware of the deliberate tactics of examination cheats and individuals masquerading as tutorial centre owners, who misleadingly advise candidates to delay registration until the last minute.
“This strategy is often aimed at forcing an extension of the registration period, thereby enabling the mass movement of candidates to centres in groups, which facilitates examination malpractice.”
JAMB explained that the 2026 UTME registration commenced on Jan. 26 and was scheduled to last for five weeks, noting that the timeline remained unchanged.
The board disclosed that about one million candidates had so far indicated interest in the examination, while many had procured their ePINs and were expected to complete registration promptly.
It added that extending the registration period was impracticable because its operational calendar was aligned with those of other examination bodies.
JAMB advised candidates to register early, avoid last-minute rush and disregard any suggestion that the deadline would be extended.
The board emphasised that it would not be responsible for candidates who failed to act within the stipulated time.
