The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the commencement of registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) nationwide.
According to a bulletin released on Monday by the examination body, the registration shall hold between today (Monday, 26 January) and Saturday, 28 February, for applicants both within and outside Nigeria.
JAMB, however, enjoined candidates to register at any of its approved Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, professional registration centres, and any of its offices nationwide, even as it advised applicants to ensure all relevant changes they plan to effect in their details are conducted on the National Identity Management Commission’s portal before approaching JAMB for registration.
The statement by the examination body reads as follows:
SALE OF OF 2026 UTME FORMS BEGINS JANUARY 26 – JAMB
…WARNS CBT CTRS AGAINST DUBIOUS PRACTICES
All is now set for the sale of registration forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) nationwide. The registration promises to be seamless as the Board had already put mechanisms in motion to ensure that candidates get top-notch service.
Candidates are enjoined to register at all Board-approved Computer-Based Test (CBT), centres all over the Federation, the Professional Registration centres and the Board’s offices across the country.
The Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, during a meeting with critical stakeholders, advised candidates, who had biodata issues such as those relating to names, date of birth or who may wish to correct their data are advised to do so with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) before proceeding for registration. He pointed out that the Board would not correct or use any data other than the one generated from NIMC.
On registration timelines, the Registrar said, “The period of registration for UTME candidates, including those from foreign countries, is from Monday, 26th January, 2026, to Saturday, 28th February, 2026.”
He reminded prospective candidates that, “e-PIN vending for the UTME began on Monday, 19th January, 2026, and ends on Thursday, 26th February, 2026, while registration closes on Saturday, 28th February, 2026.”
For Direct Entry candidates, “Sale of 2026 Direct Entry (DE) application documents and e-PIN vending would commence from Monday, 2nd March, 2026, and end on Saturday, 25th April, 2026 and the sale would only be at the Board’s Zonal and State Offices.”
In the same vein, the Registrar announced that three categories of e-PINs would be available.
“There will be three categories of e-PINS: Direct Entry (N5,700); UTME Only Without Mock (N7,200); UTME With Mock (N8,700).”
The breakdown of the charges is as follows: “UTME/DE JAMB Application Fee: N3,500; Reading Text: N1,000; CBT Centre Registration Service Charge: N700; CBT Centre UTME Service Charge: N1,500; Bank Charges: N500; CBT Mock-UTME Centre Charge: N1,500.”
On Examination dates, the Registrar noted, “The 2026 UTME will commence on Thursday, 16th April, 2026, and end on Saturday, 25th April, 2026, while the Mock-UTME (optional) shall hold on Saturday, March 28th, 2026.”
Meanwhile, the Registrar also used the opportunity of the meeting to issue a stern warning to all CBT centres against engaging in dubious fraudulent practices ahead of the 2026 UTME adding that such practices include extortion and vending above the regulated price, among others, noting centres found culpable will have their licence withdrawn as well as be prosecuted.
He also advised operators of CBT centres to desist from engaging staff with questionable character as ignorance would not be taken as excuse for infractions committed as centre proprietors would be held liable for any crime committed by their ad-hoc staff.
