2.2m Candidates Begin UTME Today Nationwide

The nationwide conduct of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) begins today, with more than 2.2 million candidates set to file into accredited centres, in what remains one of Nigeria’s largest coordinated educational exercises.

Organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the examination will run from April 16 to April 22, spanning seven days of tightly scheduled sessions across hundreds of centres nationwide.

This year’s UTME is not only significant for its scale but also for the careful sequencing of dates, logistics, and policy adjustments that reflect JAMB’s attempt to refine the examination process in response to past challenges.

The choice of April 16 as the commencement date aligns with JAMB’s traditional mid-April schedule, a period that allows candidates sufficient time after registration and mock examinations while avoiding clashes with major national events or school calendars.

The Board spread the examination over seven days to accommodate the large number of candidates without overburdening centres or compromising the integrity of the process.

Each day within the April 16–22 window is divided into multiple sessions, enabling thousands of candidates to sit the examination in batches.

This staggered approach reduces congestion, enhances biometric verification, and ensures that technical systems are not overwhelmed.

The first day (today), often sets the tone. Historically, early sessions tend to reveal operational gaps, which are quickly addressed before subsequent days.

JAMB’s decision to maintain a week-long examination period provides flexibility to absorb shocks, reschedule affected candidates, and maintain overall system stability.

A key precursor to today’s examination was the recently concluded Mock-UTME, which served as a testing ground for both candidates and officials.

Insights from the mock exercise directly influenced decisions on centre readiness and personnel deployment.

Notably, 23 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres were delisted after failing to meet performance standards during the mock.

JAMB has attempted to reduce technical disruptions that could affect candidates’ performance, by eliminating underperforming centres before the main examination,

In addition, 11 technical officers were removed from the exercise due to poor performance. These decisions highlight the Board’s emphasis on competence and preparedness as critical factors for the smooth conduct of the UTME.

With approximately 966 CBT centres participating nationwide, the logistics behind the UTME are immense. Each centre must be equipped with functional computers, stable internet connectivity, biometric verification systems, and trained personnel.

Candidates are expected to arrive with printed examination slips, which contain essential details such as date, time, and venue.

The emphasis on slip printing ahead of the examination is a strategic move to minimise confusion and ensure orderly attendance across the seven-day schedule.

The distribution of candidates across centres and dates is also designed to reduce overcrowding, by assigning specific dates and sessions, JAMB ensures that no centre exceeds its capacity at any given time.

One of the notable adjustments ahead of this year’s UTME is the revision of the arrival time for the first session. Initially set at 6:30am, the arrival time has been shifted to 7:00am, with the examination now commencing at 8:30am.

Early arrival times in previous years often posed challenges, particularly for candidates travelling long distances or navigating urban traffic. Pushing the arrival time forward by 30 minutes, JAMB aims to strike a balance between operational efficiency and candidate convenience.

The 8:30am start time also allows for thorough biometric verification and system checks before the examination begins. These pre-exam procedures are critical in preventing impersonation and ensuring that only verified candidates are allowed into the examination hall.

Technology and integrity

Central to the UTME’s execution is the deployment of advanced technology. From biometric verification to real-time monitoring of examination centres, JAMB has increasingly relied on digital tools to safeguard the integrity of the process.

The Board also reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on examination malpractice, warning that prohibited items will not be allowed in examination halls. Candidates found violating the rules risk severe penalties under existing laws.

Speaking ahead of the examination, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, charged examination officials of the Board to demonstrate maximum commitment and dedication in the discharge of their duties, stressing that UTME depends largely on their performance.

Oloyede gave the charge during the virtual final briefing for Technical Officers ahead of the 2026 UTME, where he noted that the level of success recorded during the recently-concluded Mock-UTME was largely attributable to the dedication of officials, who took their assignments seriously.

He commended members of staff, ad-hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisors for their commitment, urging them not to relent but to intensify their efforts towards ensuring a seamless examination exercise.

While assessing the conduct of the mock examination, the Registrar observed that most of the challenges encountered at examination centres stemmed from the failure of some technical officials to conduct thorough assessments of their assigned centres before, during, and after the exercise.

As part of disciplinary measures, he announced the delisting of 11 technical officers from the examination exercise for poor performance in the discharge of their duties, adding that further sanctions would be imposed upon conclusion of ongoing investigations.

He further disclosed that incentives would be given to teams that perform exceptionally well based on criteria such as prompt upload and download of examination materials, accurate documentation, and timely submission of reports.

According to him, the incentive scheme is intended to motivate personnel, who dedicate themselves to the successful conduct of the Board’s examinations, while also reinforcing the importance of their role in advancing the goals of the nation’s education sector.

The Registrar also revealed that, as usual, the Board had deployed cutting-edge technology to curb all forms of examination malpractice that could compromise the integrity of the examination process.

He, therefore, urged officials to remain vigilant at all times, noting that examination infractions could occur through various means and methods.

On the issue of unverified candidates, Oloyede stated that the names of candidates, who could not be verified and had been flagged by the Board, would be collated and scheduled to sit their examinations at designated centres approved by the Board.