2026 UTME examination begins nationwide as JAMB confirms 2.2 million candidates and tight biometric monitoring across 966 centres

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has commenced the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination nationwide, with no fewer than 2.2 million candidates expected to participate.

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The 2026 UTME examination began on Thursday and will run from April 16 to April 22 across accredited Computer-Based Test centres in Nigeria.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged officials to uphold professionalism and strict adherence to examination guidelines to ensure a credible exercise.

He gave the directive during a virtual briefing with technical officers ahead of the examination, stressing that the success of the UTME depends on effective coordination and discipline.

Oloyede commended stakeholders for their role in the mock examination while noting that earlier challenges were largely due to inadequate centre assessments.

The registrar announced incentive packages for teams that demonstrate exceptional performance in handling examination logistics and timely reporting.

He reaffirmed the board’s zero-tolerance policy on examination malpractice, warning candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls.

According to JAMB, biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems have been deployed to enhance transparency and prevent irregularities during the exercise.

Candidates whose biometric details cannot be verified will be rescheduled to sit the examination at designated centres.

About 966 centres are participating in the 2026 UTME examination, each required to meet strict operational standards including stable connectivity and functional systems.

The examination is being conducted in four daily sessions to reduce congestion and improve verification efficiency.

Early monitoring reports from Abuja indicated a smooth start, with slight delays recorded at some centres.

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The UTME remains one of Nigeria’s largest coordinated examinations, involving extensive logistics and nationwide coordination.