The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has deployed advanced technology capable of detecting and apprehending offenders instantly as it issued a stern warning to all candidates ahead of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the JAMB registrar, emphasised that there is no room for dishonesty as the board has fortified its systems to monitor, identify, and prosecute malpractices in real time.

With more than 2.2 million candidates preparing to sit for the examination scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2026, the board reiterated that it will not entertain any pleas for leniency. In a review of the weekly bulletin issued on Monday, April 6, 2026, Professor Oloyede disclosed that more than five candidates from the 2025 UTME exercise have already been convicted for offences such as impersonation and result falsification.

“There is no shortcut to success; the only path is through hard work,” he stated.

The registrar warned that the risks for anyone attempting malpractice are now higher than ever. He explained that no level of technological ingenuity, financial inducement or criminal network will override the system monitoring examination centres.

“We now have robust systems capable of monitoring, identifying, and prosecuting malpractices as they occur. JAMB will not entertain any appeals for leniency. Candidates have been adequately warned,” he added.

JAMB conducts the UTME for prospective undergraduates into Nigerian universities. The board is also responsible for administering similar examinations for applicants to Nigerian public and private monotechnics, polytechnics, and colleges of education. All of these candidates must have obtained the West Africa Senior School Certificate conducted yearly by the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, or its equivalent, the National Examination Council, NECO.

JAMB specifically cautioned candidates against individuals or groups claiming they could inflate scores, describing such claims as false and criminal. The board called on parents, guardians and school authorities to actively discourage candidates from engaging with examination fraudsters.

“Candidates found engaging in these activities risk cancellation of registration or withdrawal of results,” JAMB stated.

“These activities are criminal, and those involved will be prosecuted,” the board warned.

Professor Oloyede concluded by stressing the importance of academic preparation. “The future of thousands of young Nigerians depends on the integrity of this examination. JAMB is committed to ensuring that all candidates are assessed fairly based on merit and knowledge,” he noted.