The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued an urgent alert to candidates and the general public regarding a fabricated press release circulating online, which falsely announces the postponement of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The examination body, in a statement released via its verified X platform account on Friday, emphatically refuted the authenticity of the document and urged Nigerians to disregard the misleading information.

According to JAMB, "Our attention has been drawn to the malicious press release, stating that the 2026 UTME has been postponed. The general public, particularly the candidates, are by this notice informed that the press release is fake and did not emanate from us. Kindly disregard it."

The Board's prompt clarification comes at a crucial period, as registration for the 2026 UTME remains ongoing. JAMB had previously announced that the registration exercise, which opened on 26th January, would terminate on 26th February 2026 without any possibility of extension.

The examination authority has repeatedly cautioned candidates and stakeholders against relying on unverified sources for examination-related information, emphasising the importance of consulting only official JAMB communication channels.

This incident underscores the growing menace of deliberate misinformation targeting Nigerian students and parents during sensitive examination cycles, with fraudsters exploiting candidates' anxieties to spread false narratives.

JAMB has reinforced its call for all prospective candidates to concentrate on finalising their registration within the official deadline and to authenticate any examination-related announcements through the Board's official website and verified social media platforms before accepting such information as credible.

The examination body has provided no indication of alterations to the existing examination timetable and maintains that the 2026 UTME will take place as originally scheduled.

Candidates are strongly advised to remain vigilant against such fraudulent schemes and report suspicious documents to appropriate authorities.