JAMB Stands Firm: 2026 UTME Registration Ends February 26

Registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will close on February 26, 2026, as potential candidates have been reminded by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The board warned that there would be no extension of the deadline, so candidates who planned to take the test should finish registering right away.

The board’s weekly bulletin, which was made public on Monday, includes this.

The low number of candidates at various certified registration centers at this point in the process has raised worries for the board.

In 2026, it stated that the persistent practice of putting off registration until the very last minute and then requesting an extension would not be accepted.

The practice of candidates purposefully postponing registration until the last few days and then agitating for an extension will not be tolerated in 2026.

The intentional strategies of exam cheaters and people posing as owners of tutorial centers who deceitfully suggest that applicants postpone registration until the last minute are well known to JAMB.

“This tactic is frequently intended to compel an extension of the registration period, which permits the large-scale, group transportation of candidates to centers, thereby facilitating examination malpractice,” the statement stated.

The timeframe stayed the same, according to JAMB, which clarified that the 2026 UTME registration period began on January 26 and was expected to run for five weeks.

A million or so candidates have expressed interest in the test thus far, the board revealed, and many of them have already obtained their ePINs and are anticipated to finish the registration process as soon as possible.

It further stated that because its operating schedule coincided with those of other examination bodies, stretching the registration period was not feasible.

JAMB recommended that applicants register in advance, stay away from last-minute scrambling, and ignore any indication that the deadline might be extended.

Candidates who did not take action within the allotted period would not be held accountable by the board, it emphasized.