education

JAMB Opens 2026 UTME Registration Nationwide

Published

1 month ago

January 26, 2026

JAMB opens 2026 UTME registration on January 26; ePIN sales, mock exams, and Direct Entry applications outlined by Registrar Ishaq Oloyede

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will commence on January 26 and run until February 28 at all approved Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.

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JAMB made the announcement in Lagos on Saturday, January 24, 2026, during a meeting with State Commissioners for Education ahead of the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry exercises.

Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the JAMB Registrar, outlined the timelines for ePIN sales, mock exams, and Direct Entry applications.

“The sale of UTME application documents, known as the ePIN, will start ahead of the registration period, from January 19 to February 26. Actual registration is between January 26 and February 28 at all approved CBT centres,” Oloyede stated.

He added that the mock examination selection will close on February 16, while the sale of Direct Entry application documents and ePIN vending will run from March 2 to April 25.

On monitoring and accreditation, Oloyede stressed that all CBT centres would be observed live from JAMB headquarters.

“Any centre whose registration activities cannot be viewed from the headquarters will not be paid, and such registration may be invalidated,” he warned.

A total of 924 CBT centres have been provisionally screened and are awaiting final accreditation.

Candidates were reminded that only fees approved by the board are to be paid, with no additional service charges allowed.

Oloyede also clarified eligibility rules, stating that candidates must be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026.

Underage applicants will undergo a strict evaluation process before any waiver is granted, and their UTME results will only be released after evaluation.

He urged prospective candidates to register early to avoid being posted to locations outside their preferred choices and warned against multiple concurrent admissions or failure to disclose previous registrations, noting that such violations are punishable offences.

JAMB has also released detailed guidelines for 2026 UTME registration. Candidates are required to provide a National Identification Number (NIN), a valid email address, and other necessary details.