The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially announced the registration dates for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

According to the official press release signed by the Registrar, candidates seeking admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education for the 2026/2027 academic session can now plan their registration.

ProgrammeActivityStart DateEnd Date
UTMEE-PIN VendingMonday, 19th January, 2026Thursday, 26th February, 2026
UTMERegistrationMonday, 26th January, 2026Saturday, 28th February, 2026
Direct EntryE-PIN Sale & RegistrationMonday, 2nd March, 2026Saturday, 25th April, 2026

JAMB has made it clear that the registration period will NOT be extended under any circumstances. All candidates are advised to complete their registration within the stipulated timeframe.

Examination Dates

Examination TypeDate
Mock UTME (Optional)Saturday, 28th March, 2026
2026 UTME Main ExaminationThursday, 16th April - Saturday, 25th April, 2026

The examination will run for 10 days, and candidates will write at their chosen examination towns.

Major Requirements

RequirementDetails
AgeMust not be less than 16 years by 30th September, 2026
Registration ModeJAMB approved CBT centres only
Profile CodeMandatory (generated via NIN)
Biometric CaptureCompulsory (all 10 fingers + photograph)

Where to Register

JAMB emphasised that registration can ONLY be done at JAMB-approved Computer Based Test (CBT) centres across Nigeria. The old system of registration through NIPOST offices and group school based registration has been completely discontinued.

For Direct Entry candidates: Registration will be conducted at JAMB State and Zonal Offices only.

New Compulsory Reading Text

All candidates, regardless of their course of study, must read "The Lekki Headmaster" by Kabir Alabi Garba. Questions from this text will appear in the general paper.

Foreign Centre Registration

For Nigerian candidates living abroad, JAMB will conduct registration and examination in 10 foreign cities:

  • Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)
  • Accra (Ghana)
  • Banjul (The Gambia)
  • Benin/Cotonou (Benin Republic)
  • Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)
  • Johannesburg (South Africa)
  • London (United Kingdom)
  • Malabo (Equatorial Guinea)
  • Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

Registration fee for foreign centres is $30 USD or local equivalent.

JAMB advises all prospective candidates to:

  • Generate their profile codes early using their NIN
  • Have functional email addresses and unique phone numbers ready
  • Visit only JAMB accredited CBT centres for registration
  • Read all guidelines carefully before commencing registration