UTME 2026 - The Times of Abuja

JAMB releases 279 UTME results withheld over malpractice investigation

TheTimesOfAbuja — Thu, 21 May 2026 09:33:50 +0000

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it has released 279 unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME) results that were previously withheld for investigation over alleged examination malpractice.

In a statement on Wednesday, Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s spokesperson, said the release followed ongoing investigations into cases of suspected malpractice during the 2026 UTME exercise.

Benjamin said some of the withheld results were released after investigations found no prima facie case against the affected candidates.

However, he added that results linked to confirmed cases of examination malpractice had been cancelled.

The JAMB’s spokesperson also said results from centres flagged by the board’s live monitoring team for suspicious activities, or those with adverse reports, remain withheld pending the conclusion of investigations.

He added that such results would be cancelled where sufficient evidence of culpability is established.

He advised candidates whose results are yet to be released to check their status by sending “UTMERESULT” to 55019 or 66019 using the same phone number used during registration.

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Police, JAMB uncover UTME fraud syndicate in Delta, arrest three suspects

TheTimesOfAbuja — Fri, 08 May 2026 21:48:45 +0000

The Nigeria Police Force has, in collaboration with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), uncovered and disrupted a sophisticated examination malpractice syndicate during the 2026 unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME) in Warri, Delta state.

Anthony Placid, police spokesperson, said in a statement on Friday, that the operation followed intelligence-led investigations into attempts by criminal elements to compromise the integrity of the examination through technology-assisted fraud and unauthorised remote access to examination systems.

Placid said preliminary investigations revealed that during the examination, unauthorised remote access was illegally gained into candidates’ computer systems while the exercise was ongoing.

“Acting on credible intelligence and digital forensic leads, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force carried out coordinated operations which led to the arrest of three suspects linked to the criminal activity,” the statement reads.

“The suspects are currently in police custody and assisting ongoing investigations.

Investigations have also uncovered the involvement of additional examination centres suspected of engaging in similar illegal activities.”

Placid said JAMB has taken administrative measures, including the withdrawal of results from affected centres, pending the conclusion of investigations.

He added that candidates affected will be rescheduled for a mop-up examination in line with established procedures.

The police spokesperson warned candidates, examination centre operators, and other collaborators to desist from engaging in examination malpractice, cyber-enabled fraud, or unauthorised system intrusion.

He reaffirmed the NPF commitment to identifying, dismantling, and prosecuting criminal networks seeking to undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s educational system.

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JAMB releases results for second, third days of 2026 UTME

TheTimesOfAbuja — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:07:14 +0000

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of candidates who sat for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on April 17 and April 18.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Fabian Benjamin, public communication adviser of JAMB, the board said a total of 1,264,940 results from the two days are now available for candidates to check.

The board said candidates can access their results by sending UTMERESULT to 55019 or 66019 using the phone number used during registration.

JAMB had earlier released 632,752 results of candidates who sat the examination on April 16.

According to the board, the latest release brings the total number of results released so far to 1,897,692.

The board did not indicate whether additional batches of results would be released but said candidates whose results are ready can proceed to check them through the approved channels.

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2.2m candidates to write 2026 UTME in 966 centres

TheTimesOfAbuja — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:48:48 +0000

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says about 2.2 million candidates will participate in the 2026 unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME) across 966 computer-based test (CBT) centres nationwide.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the board said the number of centres followed the deletion of 23 CBT centres that experienced technical glitches during the mock UTME conducted in March.

The board noted that it has finalised all arrangements for the 2026 UTME scheduled to hold between April 16 and April 22.

According to the examination body, candidates are expected to have printed their examination slips, which contain vital information such as the examination date, time, venue and other details required for seamless accreditation and biometric verification.

The board added that special arrangements have been made for candidates with disabilities (PWDs) through the JAMB equal opportunity group (JEOG), led by Peter Okebukola, a former executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

JAMB warned candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls, stressing that offenders would face sanctions in line with existing examination malpractice laws.

The board also stated that adequate provisions have been made to support candidates facing other challenges, while technology has been deployed to protect the integrity of the examination process.

‘800 OFFICIALS BRIEFED AHEAD OF UTME’

As part of preparations for the exercise, JAMB said it conducted a virtual briefing for over 800 examination officials, including technical officers, state technical advisers and chief technical advisers.

During the session, Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB registrar, urged officials to demonstrate dedication and professionalism, noting that the success of the UTME depends largely on their performance.

Oloyede said many challenges recorded in previous examinations were linked to inadequate assessment of centres by technical personnel.

He disclosed that 11 technical officers have been delisted from the 2026 exercise over poor performance, adding that further disciplinary measures may follow pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.

The registrar also announced that incentives would be provided to officials who demonstrate exceptional performance, particularly in areas such as timely upload and download of examination materials, proper documentation and prompt submission of reports.

Oloyede further revealed that advanced technology has been deployed to curb examination malpractice and maintain the credibility of the UTME process.

He also noted that candidates flagged as unverified would be collated and rescheduled to sit their examinations at designated centres.

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JAMB releases 2026 mock UTME results, delists over 20 CBT centres

TheTimesOfAbuja — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:45:51 +0000

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) mock test conducted on Saturday, March 28.

In a statement signed by Fabian Benjamin, the board said candidates can check their results by sending “MOCKRESULT” via SMS to 55019 or 66019 using the same phone number used during registration.

JAMB disclosed that a total of 224,597 candidates registered for the mock examination, out of which 152,586 candidates successfully sat for the test across 989 computer-based test (CBT) centres nationwide.

The board also announced that more than 20 CBT centres have been delisted following the exercise due to technical challenges experienced during the mock examination.

It said the affected centres were found to have technical inadequacies that compromised the smooth conduct of the test.

JAMB warned candidates to beware of fraudulent individuals or groups, especially on WhatsApp, claiming to assist in inflating examination scores.

The board described such claims as false and criminal, adding that any candidate found engaging in such activities would have their registration cancelled.

It further noted that where such infractions are discovered after the examination, results may be withheld or withdrawn.

JAMB added that the main UTME is scheduled to commence on April 16, 2026.

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‘Undergraduates can register’ — JAMB clarifies UTME rule, says they must disclose matriculation status

TheTimesOfAbuja — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:48:58 +0000

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that candidates currently enrolled in tertiary institutions are not barred from registering for the 2026 unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME) or direct entry (DE), provided they disclose their matriculation status during registration.

In a statement on Wednesday, Fabian Benjamin, public communication advisor (PCA) of JAMB, said the board’s attention had been drawn to a “misleading and unfortunate distortion” of its directives contained in the 2026 UTME/DE advertisement.

According to Fabian, some self-styled education advocates deliberately misrepresented the guidelines to suggest that students already in universities are prohibited from sitting the UTME.

“For the avoidance of doubt and for record purposes, it is not an offence for a candidate to register for the UTME/DE while still enrolled in an institution,” the statement reads.

“However, failure to disclose such status constitutes an offence.”

He explained that all candidates registering for the 2026 UTME/DE are required to declare their matriculation status, where applicable, in line with its statutory mandate to prevent multiple admissions.

The JAMB’s spokesperson noted that disclosure simply means that once a candidate secures a new admission through the latest registration, any previous admission automatically ceases to exist, stressing that Nigerian law does not permit candidates to hold two admissions concurrently.

He added that the directive has also become necessary following findings that some matriculated students are being used as professional examination takers.

“Mandatory disclosure therefore expedites appropriate action whenever such candidates are apprehended,” Fabian said.

While noting that the board’s system has the capacity to detect prior matriculation, Fabian warned that any candidate found to have failed to disclose their status risks forfeiting both the old and new admission opportunities.

He urged candidates, parents and guardians to rely on official guidelines and avoid what it described as distorted interpretations circulated for personal or social media gain.

Members of the public were also advised to read registration instructions carefully to avoid falling victim to misinformation, especially at the start of the UTME registration cycle

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