UTME 2026 Eligibility Update: JAMB Confirms Undergraduates Can Register

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has dismissed claims that candidates who have already matriculated or are currently studying in Nigerian universities are barred from sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The clarification was given by the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyode, during a monitoring visit to Port Harcourt amid the ongoing UTME registration exercise. He spoke shortly after attending the second matriculation ceremony of Wigwe University.

According to the JAMB Registrar, the reports circulating online and in some quarters are false and deliberately spread to mislead prospective candidates. He described the claims as misinformation promoted by fraudsters who are not connected to the Board in any official capacity.

Professor Oloyode stated that there is no regulation preventing candidates who have previously matriculated or are currently enrolled in tertiary institutions from writing UTME. He stressed that such individuals retain the right to apply again if they wish to change their course of study, institution, or restart their academic journey.

He further revealed that some individuals have gone as far as impersonating JAMB officials, organizing unauthorized press briefings, and issuing false statements in the name of the examination body. According to him, at least one of the key figures behind the misinformation campaign has been arrested, alongside collaborators involved in producing fake identity cards.

Explaining JAMB’s official position, Oloyode emphasized that transparency and accurate data remain central to the admission process. While candidates are free to apply again, they are required to make full disclosure of their academic status to ensure the integrity of national admission records.

He noted that more than 800,000 candidates gained admission during the previous admission cycle, with many later seeking changes to their academic paths. He warned that failure to reconcile data properly could lead to distorted admission figures and planning challenges across the tertiary education system.

The JAMB Registrar reiterated that undergraduates are permitted to sit for UTME, but clarified that candidates are not allowed to run two undergraduate programmes simultaneously. He said the Board’s priority is to maintain a transparent and well-coordinated admissions framework.

On the issue of examination malpractice, Oloyode said incidents have declined compared to previous years, although the Board is not yet satisfied with the level of compliance. He explained that as candidates devise new methods to circumvent the system, JAMB continues to strengthen its monitoring and technological safeguards to curb irregularities.

He also cautioned parents against encouraging dishonest practices, noting that integrity must be instilled early and sustained across generations to protect the credibility of Nigeria’s education system.

Addressing concerns about JAMB’s preparedness for the 2026 UTME, Oloyode said challenges experienced in 2025 were largely due to operational lapses that have since been corrected. He dismissed rumours suggesting that certain categories of candidates, including persons with albinism, would be excluded from registration, describing such claims as false.

The JAMB Registrar disclosed that there are currently about 984 accredited Computer-Based Test centres nationwide, with plans underway to increase the number to approximately 1,000 ahead of the examination.

He confirmed that UTME registration will close on February 28, adding that no extension will be granted beyond the announced deadline.