The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will commence in the first quarter of 2026.
The disclosure was made in the Board’s latest bulletin, which confirmed that all preparatory processes ahead of the exercise have been concluded.
According to JAMB, the early preparations are aimed at ensuring a smooth, secure, and well-coordinated registration process nationwide.
The Board stated that it has completed all accreditation, validation, and security checks for centres, personnel, and other stakeholders involved in the 2026 UTME registration exercise. It explained that extensive measures have been undertaken to guarantee a process that is secure, transparent, and largely free of irregularities.
JAMB noted that lessons drawn from post-registration and examination reviews of the 2025 UTME informed a series of technological and operational enhancements now being deployed for the 2026 exercise.
The Board also issued a strong warning to individuals or groups planning to engage in registration or examination malpractice, stressing that such actions would attract severe legal consequences.
“The management of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has concluded all necessary accreditation, validation, and security checks for centres, personnel, and other stakeholders to be involved in the registration exercise for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME),” the bulletin stated.
It added, “Consequently, individuals or groups intending to perpetrate registration or examination infractions are warned to stay away from the 2026 UTME registration process, scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026.”
JAMB said the measures were designed to strengthen system integrity and prevent attempts at manipulation or malpractice.
The bulletin further revealed that more than 30 suspects linked to previous registration and examination infractions are currently facing prosecution, with nearly 20 already in correctional custody.
The Board warned that arrests could occur during or even after the 2026 UTME, as investigations remain ongoing and continuous. It also urged the public to steer clear of all JAMB processes unless they are duly registered candidates or accredited stakeholders.
JAMB reassured candidates that application documents for the 2026 UTME would be released early in the year, reaffirming its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the integrity of the examination system.
The Board disclosed that investigations conducted after the 2025 UTME uncovered 6,458 results linked to suspected high-tech cheating. A 23-member special committee set up to probe technology-driven malpractice identified 4,251 cases of finger blending—a biometric fraud technique—and 192 instances of AI-assisted impersonation through image morphing.
While these infractions exposed vulnerabilities in the system, JAMB maintained that actual malpractice during the examination remained relatively low. In response, the Federal Government approved a three-year ban for candidates found guilty of examination malpractice.
JAMB stated that the lessons learned from these investigations will guide improvements for the 2026 UTME, with enhanced technological and operational measures to ensure a smoother, more secure, and largely infraction-free registration and examination process.
