The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced a fresh directive ahead of the 2026 UTME. All candidates must now state whether they are current students of any tertiary institution during registration.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has rolled out a new guideline ahead of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). All prospective candidates are now required to indicate whether they are currently enrolled in any tertiary institution during registration.
This directive, announced by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, aims to curb impersonation and fraudulent practices that have plagued the examination system in recent years. According to findings by the Board, a large number of candidates caught engaging in exam malpractice in previous years were already students of universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education attempting to manipulate the system.
JAMB emphasized that the UTME is meant strictly for fresh applicants seeking admission into tertiary institutions. Therefore, candidates who are already admitted but wish to take part in the examination must truthfully disclose their status. Any candidate who conceals such information or provides false details will face serious sanctions, including:
- Nullification of their UTME registration,
- Revocation of existing admission, and
- Possible legal prosecution.
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The Board also reminded all candidates that uploading their O’level (WAEC, NECO, or equivalent) results remains a non-negotiable condition for admission processing. It warned that no candidate will be offered admission unless their academic records are correctly uploaded and verified on the JAMB portal. This announcement, JAMB noted, serves as a strong deterrent against malpractice and a reaffirmation of its commitment to upholding integrity and fairness in Nigeria’s admission process.
In a related development, the Federal Government has approved a three-year ban for any student found guilty of examination malpractice across WAEC, NECO, JAMB, and NABTEB. The new measure, which will be tracked using the National Identification Number (NIN), ensures offenders are barred from retaking national exams within that period. Schools and CBT centres that assist in cheating may also face de-accreditation or permanent blacklisting.
JAMB reiterated its readiness to maintain transparency and accountability while ensuring every qualified candidate secures admission based solely on merit.