2026 UTME: Over 1.5m Candidates Apply As JAMB Insists On Feb 26 Deadline

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has revealed that as of February 17, over 1.5 million candidates have registered for the examination.

This is as the examination body says the registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will close on February 26.

Recall that the registration for 2026 UTME candidates commenced on January 26.

A statement by Fabian Benjamin, the JAMB spokesperson, said all interested candidates should register promptly, adding that the board will not extend the registration deadline under any circumstances.

Earlier, JAMB said it observed a significant reduction in the number of registrants and alleged that many candidates “deliberately delay registration until the final days”.

The board stated that the sale of e-PINs, which enables a candidate to proceed to the centre for registration, will end at midnight on February 26.

JAMB said the actual registration at accredited centres for candidates with the ePIN will close on February 28.

JAMB said that although it has a daily registration capacity of 100,000 candidates, registration centres currently operate at barely 30 percent.

The board maintained that there will be no extension of the registration deadline.

“JAMB operates within a nationally coordinated examination calendar agreed upon by all examination bodies in Nigeria,” the statement reads.

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

“Candidates are therefore strongly advised 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 for the 2026 UTME is shut out due to delay or complacency.”

Last month, JAMB said candidates must reveal their matriculation status, warning that false disclosure “will automatically invalidate the candidate’s registration/previous admission”