Nigeria’s examination body, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has said it will not extend the registration deadline for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB said registration will close on 26 February, as scheduled, and urged prospective candidates to complete the process early.
In a statement published in its weekly bulletin on Monday, the board warned against the repeated practice of candidates delaying registration until the final days and then calling for an extension.
“The Board has observed with concern the near absence of candidates at many accredited registration centres at this stage of the exercise,” JAMB said.
“This recurring pattern, where candidates deliberately delay registration until the final days and subsequently agitate for an extension, will not be entertained in 2026.”
JAMB said it was aware that some individuals, including examination cheats and people posing as tutorial centre operators, often encourage candidates to delay registration.
According to the board, this tactic is aimed at forcing an extension, which then allows large groups of candidates to move together to centres, increasing the risk of examination malpractice.
“The Board wishes to state unequivocally that it is fully aware of these antics and has taken them into account in its planning,” the statement said.
“There will be no extension of the registration period.”
The board explained that the 2026 UTME registration began on 26 January and was designed to last five weeks, adding that the timeline would remain unchanged.
JAMB also said about one million candidates had already shown interest in the examination, with many having obtained their electronic personal identification numbers (e-PINs) and expected to complete registration soon.
It added that extending the registration period would be difficult, as its examination calendar is closely linked with those of other national examination bodies. Any change, it said, could disrupt the overall schedule.
The UTME is a key requirement for admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across Nigeria.
