The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has confirmed that registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will begin on Monday, January 26, and run until February 28 at all accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide, as previously announced.
The Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made the announcement on Saturday during a meeting with Education Commissioners in Lagos, ahead of the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry exercises.
Sale of ePINs
Oloyede revealed that the sale of the UTME application document, known as the ePIN, will start before the registration period, running from January 19 to February 26.
“Actual UTME registration period is between January 26 to February 28 at all approved CBT centres,” he said.
Candidates wishing to participate in the UTME mock examination are required to select their mock test dates on or before February 16. Meanwhile, sales of Direct Entry (DE) application documents and ePINs will begin March 2 and close April 25.
Handling of Underage Candidates
In a change from last year, results for underage candidates will only be released after completing the full evaluation process, ensuring a thorough assessment of those seeking age waivers.
CBT Centres to Be Monitored
All CBT centres will be monitored live from JAMB headquarters in Abuja. Centres whose registration activities cannot be monitored will face sanctions.
“Any centre whose registration activities cannot be viewed from the headquarters will not be paid, while such registration may be invalidated,” Oloyede warned.
Currently, 924 CBT centres have been provisionally screened and listed, but they will undergo a final accreditation test before full approval.
No Service Charges
The Registrar emphasized that candidates are not required to pay any service charge to CBT centres. Only registration fees approved by JAMB are payable. Complaints about candidates being posted to distant exam locations were also addressed, with Oloyede clarifying that candidates are always assigned within the towns they select during registration.
Early Registration Recommended
Candidates are urged to register early to secure preferred exam towns, as late registration may limit options. He also reminded candidates to disclose previous registration and admission history, warning that failure to do so constitutes an offence.
“Running more than one undergraduate programme concurrently is a criminal offence,” Oloyede added.
Age Eligibility
Generally, only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are eligible for UTME and admission. Underage candidates will undergo rigorous evaluation to determine eligibility for waivers, requiring a minimum of 80% in UTME/A’Level, PUTME, SSCE, and exceptional candidate assessments.