The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has recorded its highest-ever registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with 2,030,627 candidates applying for the 2024 edition of the examination. This marks a significant increase from the 1.9 million candidates who registered in 2023.
According to JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the registration process, which ended on March 8, does not include foreign students sitting for the examination outside Nigeria. He confirmed the figures while speaking with our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday.
“This is the highest we have registered in the history of the examination. These numbers do not include foreign students who will write the examination outside the country,” Benjamin stated.
Of the total registered candidates, 41,026 are below the age of 16. Additionally, over 200,115 candidates have enrolled for the optional mock examination scheduled for April 5, which aims to familiarize them with the computer-based test (CBT) format.
The UTME is set to commence on April 25 across more than 700 CBT centers nationwide. Meanwhile, JAMB has announced that registration for Direct Entry (DE) candidates is expected to begin today.
With the continuous rise in UTME applications, this year’s record-breaking registration underscores the growing demand for tertiary education in Nigeria.