UTME 2026 kicks off nationwide with 2.2 million candidates

The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination kicked off on Thursday across Nigeria, with over 2.2 million candidates taking the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board test at 966 accredited IT centers in a seven-day exercise scheduled to run until April 22.

At the CBT center of Rosa Mystica Academy in Byazhin, Kubwa, within the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, proceedings were carried out in an orderly manner and without incident during the morning session. Biometric Verification Officer Peter Idu told reporters that 236 of the 250 candidates scheduled for the 8.30am session showed up and were successfully selected.

“The biometric exam session this morning went well. There were no problems,” Idu said.

Center supervisor Adeosun Olawola confirmed that the exam began on schedule, with candidate testing starting as early as 6.30am

“Everything is in order. The candidates also tried to reach on time. The exam started at 8.30 am sharp,” he said.

Olawola attributed the absence of misconduct to early awareness and rigorous entry screening, adding that candidates voluntarily surrendered all prohibited devices before entering the hall. It also confirmed that all technical systems, including computers and cooling equipment, were functioning optimally, following a comprehensive test drive conducted at the center the previous day.

JAMB has structured the exam into multiple daily sessions to manage the large candidate population and reduce congestion between centres. Prior to the exercise, the council conducted a mock UTME to assess system and staff readiness, after which 23 CBT centers were delisted for failing to meet the required standards and 11 technical officers were removed for poor performance.

Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, speaking at a virtual briefing ahead of the exam, charged officials to demonstrate diligence, stressing that the success of the exercise largely depends on their commitment.

For greater convenience, JAMB has changed the candidate arrival time for the first session from 6.30am to 7.00am, keeping the start time at 8.30am to allow for thorough pre-exam procedures. The board has also implemented biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems to curb malpractices, reiterating its zero-tolerance stance towards exam infractions.

The examination will continue nationwide in the coming days as JAMB monitors operations at all accredited centres.

Related