The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) commenced nationwide on Thursday, with more than 2.2 million candidates expected to sit for the examination across accredited centres.
The examination, organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, will run from April 16 to April 22 in multiple sessions scheduled daily.
The Registrar of JAMB, Is-haq Oloyede, charged examination officials to demonstrate maximum commitment and professionalism, stressing that the success of the UTME largely depends on their performance and dedication to duty.
Oloyede gave the charge during a virtual final briefing for technical officers ahead of the examination, where he commended staff, ad hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisers for their roles in the successful conduct of the mock examination.
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According to him, most challenges recorded during the mock exercise were linked to inadequate assessment of centres by some technical officials. He added that incentive packages would be provided for teams that demonstrate exceptional performance, particularly in the prompt handling of examination materials and timely submission of reports.
The registrar reiterated the board’s zero-tolerance policy on examination malpractice, warning candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls. He noted that advanced technology, including biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems, has been deployed to safeguard the credibility of the examination.
Oloyede further disclosed that candidates whose biometric details could not be verified would be rescheduled to sit the examination at designated centres approved by the board.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UTME remains one of the country’s largest coordinated educational exercises, involving extensive logistics, technology deployment, and personnel coordination nationwide.
Each examination day is divided into four sessions to reduce congestion at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and enhance biometric verification processes.
For the 2026 UTME, about 966 CBT centres are participating, each required to meet operational standards, including functional computer systems, stable connectivity, and trained personnel.
(NAN)