Over 2.2 Million Candidates for 2026 UTME Nationwide

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is preparing for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with over 2.2 million candidates expected to sit for the exam from April 16 to April 22. JAMB Registrar, Prof. Haq Oloyed, emphasized the importance of professionalism among examination officials during a virtual briefing.

He noted that the success of the exercise largely depends on their performance and charged them to conduct mock examinations effectively. Oloyed reiterated the board's zero-tolerance stance on examination malpractice and warned candidates against bringing prohibited items into the examination hall.

A biometric verification and real-time monitoring system will be deployed to ensure the credibility of the examination. Candidates whose biometric details are not verified will have their examinations rescheduled.

The UTME is the largest coordinated examination in the country, involving extensive logistics and personnel across 966 accredited centers, with the first session scheduled to commence at 8:30 AM.