The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has adjusted the arrival time for candidates sitting the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, particularly those scheduled for the first session, following widespread public outcry over safety concerns associated with the earlier schedule.
In a notice issued via its official X handle on Monday, the board stated that candidates for the first session are now expected to arrive at their examination centres by 7:00 a.m., instead of the earlier scheduled 6:30 a.m. JAMB added that the examination will commence at 8:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 a.m.
The board’s notice read: “Attention 2026 UTME Candidates: This is to notify you of a slight adjustment to the arrival scheduled time, particularly for the first session, which is now 7:00 a.m. as against the earlier published 6:30 a.m., while the scheduled start time for the session is now 8:30 a.m. and end time 10:30 a.m.”
The board clarified that candidates are not required to reprint their examination slips, noting that the revision affects only the arrival time and not other examination details.
The adjustment was not made in isolation. It followed public outcry from candidates, parents, and stakeholders who faulted the initial directive, arguing that it compelled teenagers to embark on journeys to examination venues before dawn, raising serious safety and transportation concerns.
The 2026 revision also comes on the back of significant backlash from parents, candidates, and Nigerians over early arrival times during the 2025 UTME.
The adjustment to the first session has had a ripple effect on the rest of the daily timetable. Candidates for the second session are expected to arrive at their CBT centres by 9 a.m., with the exam commencing at 11 a.m. Candidates in the third session are to arrive by 11 a.m. and commence the exam by 1:30 p.m., while candidates for the fourth session are to arrive by 3 p.m. and begin their UTME at 4 p.m.
On Fridays, the timetable remains largely the same, except for the third session, which has been marked as “reserved” with only three active sessions held on that day, with the reserved slot intended for contingencies or administrative purposes.
The 2026 UTME is scheduled to be held from Thursday, April 16, to Saturday, April 25, 2026. A total of 2,243,816 candidates will participate in the exercise.
