The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that it will not extend the registration deadline for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, cautioning prospective candidates to complete their enrolment before February 26 or forfeit the opportunity to sit for the exam.
In a notice released on Tuesday, the Board stated that the sale of e-PINs, which are compulsory for registration, will end at 12:00 midnight on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
It added that registration at accredited Computer-Based Test centres for candidates who have already purchased their e-PINs will close two days later, on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
As of February 17, the Board reported that more than 1.5 million candidates had successfully registered across the country.
Despite the high number of registrations, JAMB observed that centres nationwide are operating at less than 30 per cent of their daily capacity, indicating that many eligible candidates have yet to take part in the process.
The Board explained that it has the capacity to register up to 100,000 candidates each day, far exceeding the current turnout at registration centres.
“The Board wishes to clearly state that there will be no extension of the registration deadline,” the statement emphasised.
JAMB further explained that its examination schedule forms part of a nationally coordinated timetable agreed upon by all examination bodies in Nigeria.
It noted that the UTME registration period was carefully planned to allow a smooth transition into other public examinations scheduled to follow.
“Consequently, there is no available window for any extension, even if the Board were inclined to consider one,” it said.
The Board warned that candidates who postpone registration until the final days may face avoidable difficulties and stressed that it will not consider appeals after the deadline expires.
JAMB described the notice as an early advisory aimed at ensuring that serious candidates are not excluded from the examination due to procrastination.
With only a few days remaining before the e-PIN vending deadline, the Board encouraged prospective candidates to secure their e-PINs promptly and visit accredited centres to complete their registration.
“All prospective candidates are urged to act now,” the statement concluded.
The 2026 UTME is projected to draw millions of applicants seeking admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria, underscoring the importance of complying with the registration schedule.
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