Education
2026 UTME Registration Begins: Fees, Deadlines & Key Guidelines
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially begun registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with the process kicking off on Monday, January 26, 2026 and scheduled to run until Saturday, February 28, 2026.
E-PIN vending, the sale of application documents , began earlier on January 19 and will close on February 26, 2026, giving candidates time to secure their registration access codes ahead of the closing date.
For Direct Entry (DE) applicants, sales of application documents and e-PINs will start on Monday, March 2 and run through Saturday, April 25, 2026, with registration handled only at JAMB zonal and state offices.
Registration & Exam Timeline
UTME Registration: Jan 26 – Feb 28, 2026
E-PIN Sales: Jan 19 – Feb 26, 2026
Mock UTME (optional): March 28, 2026
UTME Examination: April 16 – April 25, 2026
DE Registration: Mar 2 – Apr 25, 2026
Registration Fees
JAMB announced three categories of e-PINs for the 2026 exercise:
Direct Entry (DE): ₦5,700
UTME only (without mock): ₦7,200
UTME with mock: ₦8,700
The fees cover the application, reading text, CBT centre charges and bank fees, with mock exam costs included where applicable.
Guidelines for Candidates
Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede urged candidates to fix any biodata errors such as names or dates of birth, with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) before registration, as JAMB will only rely on NIMC data.
Prospective applicants are advised to register only at approved JAMB CBT centres, professional registration centres or JAMB offices nationwide to avoid irregularities.
Warning to CBT Centres
JAMB has sternly warned CBT centre operators against fraudulent practices, including extortion and overcharging beyond approved rates. Offending centres risk licence revocation and prosecution, and proprietors will be held responsible for misconduct by any of their staff.
