The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has begun registration for candidates seeking admission into the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and non‑technological agricultural programmes after the Federal Government waived the UTME requirement for those courses.
The announcement was contained in a statement on Thursday signed by JAMB’s Acting Director of Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr. Fabian Benjamin. The board said it has put in place a structured admission process to ensure only qualified candidates are admitted under the new policy, preserving programme quality despite the removal of the UTME.
“The Federal Government has waived the requirement for candidates seeking admission into NCE and Non‑Technological Agricultural Programmes to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination,” the statement said. “Consequently, JAMB has developed a robust admission process to ensure that only qualified candidates are admitted, thereby maintaining and enhancing the quality and standards of these programmes.”
Eligible applicants are required to visit any designated Institutional Professional Registration Centre (IPRC) in a College of Education or any JAMB Professional Registration Centre (PRC) nationwide with their O’Level credentials to complete registration. “There is no requirement to sit for the annual UTME,” the board added.
JAMB said the waiver is intended to expand access to NCE and non‑technological agricultural courses while maintaining standards through an alternative admission process. The board encouraged eligible candidates to take advantage of the opportunity by promptly visiting designated registration centres in Colleges of Education or JAMB offices nationwide.
Candidates who sat the 2026 UTME but now wish to switch to NCE or non‑technological agricultural programmes can convert their application at any IPRC or JAMB PRC at no additional cost, JAMB said.
Last month, JAMB released the results of the 2026 UTME mop‑up exercise, clearing the way for the commencement of admission processes into tertiary institutions. The mop‑up exam, held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, was organised for candidates who could not complete the main UTME due to technical and logistical challenges.
