JAMB Clarifies: University Students Can Still Register For 2026 UTME

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has dismissed reports suggesting that students already admitted into tertiary institutions are prohibited from registering for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE).

According to Ireporter Online, the Board described the claims as misleading and a distortion of its admission policies. In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, JAMB’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said the misinformation was being circulated by self-styled education advocates seeking attention on social media.

Dr. Benjamin clarified that the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry advertisement explicitly instructs candidates to declare their matriculation status during registration, in accordance with the Board’s mandate to prevent multiple admissions. He emphasized that it is not an offence for candidates already enrolled in tertiary institutions to register for UTME or DE examinations, provided they fully disclose any existing admissions.

“The 2026 UTME/DE advertisement clearly directs candidates to disclose their matriculation status during registration,” Dr. Benjamin said. He added that failure to declare an existing admission constitutes an offence under Nigerian admission regulations. Disclosure ensures that any new admission automatically nullifies a previous one, as holding two concurrent admissions is prohibited.

Dr. Benjamin noted that the mandatory disclosure policy has significantly curtailed the activities of matriculated students who attempt to sit for multiple examinations. He warned that candidates who fail to disclose their status risk losing both admissions if detected by JAMB’s monitoring system.

The Board urged candidates and the public to rely on official JAMB guidelines and disregard misleading interpretations circulated for personal or social media gain. Prospective candidates were advised to seek accurate information from authorised sources to safeguard their admission prospects.