1.5m Candidates Registered As UTME Registration Closes February 26

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has informed all prospective candidates and the general public that the PIN vending for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will close on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

The Board disclosed that over 1.5 million candidates have registered for the 2026 UTME so far.

The Public Communication Advisor of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, made this known in a press statement on Wednesday.

He stated that the sale of e-PINs, which enables candidates to proceed to centres for registration, will end at 12:00 midnight on Thursday, February 26, 2026, while actual registration at accredited centres for those who have already procured the e-PIN will cease on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

“As of Tuesday, 17 February 2026, the Board has successfully registered over 1.5 million candidates. The Board has a daily registration capacity of 100,000 candidates, yet registration centres across the country are currently operating at barely 30 per cent of that capacity.

“This indicates that a significant number of prospective candidates are yet to take advantage of the opportunity to register,” he stated.

The Board also said there would be no extension of the registration deadline.
“JAMB operates within a nationally coordinated examination calendar agreed upon by all examination bodies in Nigeria.

“The Board’s registration window is strategically scheduled to allow other examination bodies to conduct their own exercises immediately afterwards. Consequently, there is no available window for any extension, even if the Board were inclined to consider one,” it added.

The statement urged candidates to obtain their e-PINs before the vending deadline and proceed immediately to accredited centres to complete their registration.

“Waiting until the last few days may result in avoidable challenges, and the Board will not entertain any appeals for extension after the deadline.

“The Board is taking this proactive step to ensure that no candidate who genuinely desires to sit the 2026 UTME is shut out due to delay or complacency. All prospective candidates are urged to act now,” it added.