The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has confirmed that there will be no extension to the registration deadline for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Candidates have been urged to complete their registration by February 26 to avoid missing the examination.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, the examination body announced that the sale of e-PINs, a mandatory requirement for registration, will close at midnight on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
According to the board, registration at accredited Computer-Based Test centres for candidates who have already purchased their e-PINs will end two days later, on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
As of February 17, JAMB disclosed that more than 1.5 million candidates had successfully registered nationwide.
Despite the figure, the board expressed concern that many eligible applicants had yet to take advantage of the exercise, noting that registration centres across the country were operating at barely 30 per cent of their daily capacity.
JAMB stated that it has the capacity to register about 100,000 candidates daily, far above the current turnout at centres.
“The Board wishes to clearly state that there will be no extension of the registration deadline,” the statement emphasised.
The examination body explained that its timetable forms part of a nationally coordinated calendar agreed upon by all examination agencies in the country.
It added that the UTME registration window was carefully structured to ensure a seamless transition to other public examinations scheduled to follow.
“Consequently, there is no available window for any extension, even if the Board were inclined to consider one,” it said.
JAMB cautioned that candidates who delay registration until the final days may encounter avoidable challenges, stressing that appeals would not be entertained once the deadline expires.
The board described the early warning as a proactive step to ensure that no serious candidate is shut out of the process due to procrastination.
With only days left before the vending deadline, prospective candidates were urged to obtain their e-PINs and proceed to accredited centres to complete their registration.
“All prospective candidates are urged to act now,” the statement concluded.
The 2026 UTME is expected to attract millions of applicants seeking admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria, making strict adherence to the registration timeline crucial for aspirants nationwide.
