JAMB Reports Minimal Issues in 2026 UTME
Last update: April 18, 2026
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JAMB warns against score manipulation....
Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said on Saturday that the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has recorded minimal challenges across the country.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made the remarks during a monitoring visit to Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres at the University of Ibadan in Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.
He described the exercise as largely successful, saying that only a few centres experienced issues, mainly related to power supply and minor technical faults.
“Like any human activity, there will be challenges, but they have been minimal,” Oloyede said.
“Out of about 980 centres nationwide, we have recorded issues in only about 16 centres.”
He added that the board had successfully conducted examinations for over 1.7 million candidates within three days, commending the overall process as “superb.”
Oloyede also praised collaboration among stakeholders, including vice-chancellors, rectors and academic officials serving as proctors.
Addressing reports of candidates allegedly being kidnapped, he cautioned against misinformation, saying such claims were often unverified.
“It is unfortunate that people were kidnapped, but linking them directly to JAMB without evidence complicates security efforts. The focus should be on ensuring their safe return,” he said.
On concerns about early arrival times, the JAMB boss clarified that examinations do not begin at 6:30 a.m., but candidates are required to arrive early for accreditation.
He said the board adjusted the examination start time from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. following feedback, though this led to longer waiting periods for some candidates.
Oloyede also criticised misconceptions about the role of UTME in admissions, stressing it is only one of several criteria, alongside O’Level results.
He warned candidates and parents against engaging fraudsters offering score manipulation, saying JAMB had intensified efforts to track and prosecute offenders.
According to him, several suspects are already facing prosecution for examination malpractice.
