2026 UTME begins nationwide as 2.2m candidates take exam

The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has officially started across Nigeria, with over 2.2 million candidates sitting for the examination organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

The exam, which runs from April 16 to April 22, is being conducted in multiple sessions daily at accredited CBT centres nationwide.

JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, urged officials to ensure strict professionalism and efficiency in the conduct of the exercise.

He made the call during a virtual final briefing for technical officers, stressing that the success of the examination depends on their dedication.

Oloyede praised staff and service providers for their role in the mock examination but said most issues recorded were due to inadequate centre evaluation.

He announced that performance-based incentives would be given to well-performing teams, particularly those that manage examination materials and reporting efficiently.

He also warned candidates against examination malpractice, stating that JAMB has adopted strict measures to ensure credibility.

According to him, biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems have been deployed nationwide, while candidates who fail biometric checks will be rescheduled.

The UTME is being conducted across about 966 CBT centres, with four sessions scheduled daily to improve coordination and reduce congestion.

A report from Aduvie International School, Jahi, showed that the first session scheduled for 8:30 a.m. began at about 8:40 a.m.

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