The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced the commencement of registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

According to JAMB, the registration exercise officially begins on Monday, January 26, and will run until Saturday, February 28, 2026. The board assured prospective candidates that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure a smooth and hitch-free registration process nationwide.

In a bulletin issued on Monday, JAMB advised candidates to register only at board-approved Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across the country. It warns that registrations conducted outside approved centres would not be recognized.

The Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, also urged candidates with biodata-related issues to resolve such discrepancies before commencing registration. He emphasized that the board would rely solely on data generated by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

“Candidates with issues related to names, date of birth or other biodata corrections are advised to resolve them with NIMC before proceeding with registration,” Oloyede said, adding that JAMB would not correct or process any data outside the NIMC database.

Eligibility and Age Requirements

JAMB stated that the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 academic session is 16 years. Candidates must attain the age of 16 on or before September 30, 2026, to be eligible.

However, underage candidates may be considered for a waiver, subject to an intensive evaluation. Such candidates are required to score at least 80 per cent in UTME or A-Level examinations, Post-UTME, Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), and other assessments. JAMB noted that results of underage candidates would only be released after the completion of the evaluation process.

The board also reiterated minimum admission benchmark scores for institutions: universities (150), colleges of nursing (140), while polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of education, colleges of agriculture and Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IEIs) have a minimum score of 100.

Registration Timeline and E-Pin Categories

JAMB disclosed that UTME registration, including for candidates from foreign countries, will end on February 28. Sales of UTME application documents and e-pins commenced on January 19 and will close on February 26.

For Direct Entry candidates, sales of application documents and e-pins will begin on March 2 and end on April 25, with forms available only at JAMB zonal and state offices.

Three categories of e-pins are available for the 2026 UTME: Direct Entry e-pin, UTME e-pin without mock examination, and UTME e-pin with mock examination, each attracting different charges.

Examination Dates and New Monitoring Measures

The 2026 UTME examination is scheduled to hold from Thursday, April 16, to Saturday, April 25, while the optional mock UTME will take place on Saturday, March 28.

Professor Oloyede also announced the compulsory deployment of Microsoft or Digitech live cameras at all CBT centres during registration. He explained that JAMB headquarters in Abuja would monitor registration activities in real time.

“Any centre whose registration activities cannot be viewed live from the JAMB National Headquarters will not be paid, and such registrations may be invalidated,” he warned.

According to the registrar, the live camera requirement is aimed at curbing image manipulation and other irregularities observed during the 2025 registration exercise.

JAMB reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a transparent, credible and technology-driven examination process, urging candidates to adhere strictly to all guidelines and timelines.