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Over 1.5 million candidates registered for 2026 UTME
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e-PIN vending ends February 26, registration closes February 28
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JAMB insists no extension, cites national exam calendar
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that more than 1.5 million candidates have so far registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
It reiterated that the February 26 deadline for e-PIN vending will not be extended.
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The Board disclosed that the sale of e-PINs, which enables candidates to proceed to accredited centres for registration, will close at 12:00 midnight on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
READ ALSO: JAMB Suspends Exam Town Selection for 2026 UTME Candidates in Ekiti
Registration for candidates who have already obtained their e-PINs will end on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said as of Tuesday, February 17, the Board had successfully registered over 1.5 million candidates.
JAMB noted that although it has the capacity to register 100,000 candidates daily, centres nationwide are currently operating at barely 30 per cent of that capacity, indicating that many prospective candidates are yet to complete their registration.
The Board firmly ruled out any extension of the registration deadline, stating that it operates within a nationally coordinated examination calendar agreed upon by all examination bodies in Nigeria.
According to JAMB, its registration window is strategically structured to allow other examination bodies to conduct their exercises without disruption, leaving no room for an extension even if it were to consider one.
Candidates were strongly advised to obtain their e-PINs before the vending deadline and immediately proceed to accredited centres to complete their registration.
“Waiting until the last few days may result in avoidable challenges, and the Board will not entertain any appeals for extension after the deadline,” JAMB warned.
The examination body urged all prospective candidates to act promptly to avoid being shut out of the 2026 UTME due to delay or complacency.
