Determined to avoid a repeat of the technical failures that marred the 2025 UTME, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has unveiled sweeping reforms tagged a “Fix It” approach for the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry (DE) exercise.
The move follows last year’s widespread complaints over system glitches, low scores and irregularities that affected 65 centres in Lagos and 92 in the Owerri Zone. JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said the painful experience has pushed the board to admit its shortcomings and strengthen its processes. At a meeting in Lagos with education commissioners from all 36 states and the FCT, he stressed the need for joint action to ensure a credible, hitch-free exam.
A major change is stricter monitoring of Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres. Under a new “No Vision, No Registration” rule, any centre that cannot be viewed live from JAMB headquarters in Abuja will not be paid and may have its registrations cancelled. Only approved live cameras will be used during registration, and centres must migrate to HIKVision CCTV systems with wired cameras covering all key areas. Non-compliant centres risk sanctions or prosecution.
JAMB also uncovered identity fraud syndicates in 2025 involving multiple NINs and warned that candidates caught in such acts will be disqualified. Registration remains fully cashless to curb extortion, and group registrations are discouraged.
Eligibility rules remain firm: candidates must be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, except in rare, strictly assessed cases. To ease access, 924 CBT centres have been approved nationwide.
UTME registration runs from January 26 to February 28, 2026, while Direct Entry sales begin March 2 and end April 25, 2026, at JAMB offices. Three e-PIN categories are available: DE (N5,700), UTME without mock (N7,200), and UTME with mock (N8,700). JAMB will continue to refund fees to qualified candidates with disabilities and provide audio texts for blind candidates.
Oloyede said the reforms aim to restore public trust, tighten security, and deliver a fair, transparent admission process for all candidates.