For thousands of young Nigerians planning their next academic move, the 2026 UTME season has officially begun.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Monday commenced registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, assuring candidates of a smoother and more organised process this year.
Speaking at a meeting with key stakeholders, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said measures have been put in place to ensure efficient service delivery at registration centres nationwide.
Details of the exercise were outlined in JAMB’s weekly bulletin published on its website on Monday.
When Registration Runs:
UTME registration — including for candidates outside Nigeria — will run from Monday, January 26, 2026, to Saturday, February 28, 2026.
According to Oloyede, e-PIN vending for UTME candidates began on Monday, January 19 and will end on Thursday, February 26, while registration officially closes on February 28.
For Direct Entry (DE) candidates, the sale of application documents and e-PIN vending will take place from Monday, March 2, to Saturday, April 25, 2026.
DE registration, he added, will be conducted only at JAMB zonal and state offices.
How Much Candidates Will Pay
The registrar announced three categories of e-PINs for the 2026 exercise.
“There will be three categories of e-PINs: Direct Entry (₦5,700); UTME only without mock (₦7,200); and UTME with mock (₦8,700),” he said.
He explained that the charges cover the application fee, reading text, CBT centre registration and UTME service charges, bank charges, and the optional mock examination.
Exam Dates to Note
Oloyede said the 2026 UTME will hold from Thursday, April 16, to Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The optional mock UTME is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2026.
What Candidates Should Fix First
Candidates with errors in their biodata — such as names or date of birth — were advised to correct them at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) before registering.
Oloyede stressed that JAMB will rely solely on NIMC-generated data and will not entertain corrections outside that platform
Candidates were also advised to register only at JAMB-approved CBT centres, professional registration centres and JAMB offices nationwide.
Warning to CBT Centres
The registrar issued a stern warning to CBT centres against extortion and charging above approved rates.
Centres found guilty, he said, risk losing their licences and may face prosecution.
He also cautioned operators to be careful with the staff they employ, stressing that centre owners would be held responsible for any misconduct by their ad hoc workers.
For candidates, the message is clear: Register early, use approved centres, and get your details right.
As the countdown to April begins, preparation, not panic, remains the smartest move.
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