Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, says the ongoing 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME has recorded minimal challenges nationwide, with issues reported in only about 16 out of 980 CBT centres.
Speaking during a monitoring visit to the University of Ibadan CBT centre on Saturday, Oloyede said the challenges were mainly related to power supply and minor technical faults. He described the exercise as largely successful, noting that JAMB had conducted examinations for over 1.7 million candidates within three days.
The Registrar clarified that UTME does not start at 6:30am, but candidates arrive early for accreditation. He said the Board adjusted the start time from 8am to 8:30am following feedback, though this increased waiting periods. He also stressed that UTME is only one of the admission criteria alongside O’Level requirements.
On security concerns, Professor Oloyede cautioned against unverified claims linking alleged abduction of candidates directly to JAMB, saying such misinformation complicates security efforts and the focus should be on ensuring victims’ safe return.
He warned candidates and parents against examination fraud, stating that JAMB has intensified efforts to track and prosecute fraudsters offering score manipulation. He cited a case of a suspect who continued defrauding parents while in custody and urged the public to report fraudulent platforms. He reaffirmed JAMB’s commitment to credible admissions and commended security agencies and academic officials serving as proctors for their support.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
