JAMB Insists 2026 UTME Registration Closes Feb 26, Rules Out Deadline Extension

JAMB Insists 2026 UTME Registration Closes Feb 26, Rules Out Deadline Extension

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reaffirmed that the registration deadline for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will not be extended beyond February 26, 2026, urging prospective candidates to complete their registration without delay.

The examination body issued the reminder in its Weekly Bulletin released on Monday, warning that candidates who deliberately postpone registration until the final days should not expect any form of extension.

According to JAMB, there has been a noticeable low turnout at many accredited registration centres weeks into the registration exercise, a trend the Board said often precedes pressure campaigns for deadline extensions.

“The Board has observed with concern the near absence of candidates at many accredited registration centres at this stage of the exercise. This recurring pattern where candidates deliberately delay registration until the final days and subsequently agitate for an extension will not be entertained in 2026,” JAMB stated.

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The Board explained that the tactic is frequently used to trigger mass movement of candidates to registration centres, a situation that increases the risk of examination malpractice and compromises the integrity of the process.

JAMB stressed that it is fully aware of such practices and has factored them into its planning, stating unequivocally that no extension will be granted under any circumstance.

“There will be no extension of the registration period. This notice is issued to ensure that genuine, law-abiding candidates are not misled or disadvantaged,” the Board said.

The examination body reminded candidates that 2026 UTME registration commenced on January 26, 2026, and was deliberately scheduled to run for five weeks, adding that the timeline remains unchanged.

JAMB disclosed that about one million candidates have already indicated interest in the examination, while many others have obtained their e-PINs and are expected to complete the registration process before the deadline.

The Board further explained that extending the registration window would be practically impossible, as its operational calendar is tightly coordinated with those of other national examination bodies. Any adjustment, it said, would disrupt the broader examination schedule and interfere with timelines reserved for other critical assessments.

JAMB therefore urged all prospective candidates to register early at accredited centres and avoid last-minute rushes that could result in missing the opportunity to sit for the 2026 UTME.

JAMB Insists 2026 UTME Registration Closes Feb 26, Rules Out Deadline Extension