The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed that registration centres across Nigeria are currently operating at barely 30 per cent of their full capacity, despite registering over 1.5 million candidates for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as of Tuesday, 17 February 2026. 

In a statement issued on Wednesday, JAMB revealed that it has a daily registration capacity of 100,000 candidates, but the low turnout at centres suggests that a significant number of prospective candidates have yet to take advantage of the opportunity to register.

The board reiterated that the sale of electronic PINs, which enables candidates to proceed to accredited centres for registration, would close at midnight on Thursday, 26 February 2026, while actual registration at centres would end on Saturday, 28 February 2026, for those who had already purchased their ePINs.

JAMB was emphatic that there would be no extension of the registration deadline. "The Board wishes to clearly state that there will be no extension of the registration deadline. JAMB operates within a nationally coordinated examination calendar agreed upon by all examination bodies in Nigeria," the statement read.

The board explained that its registration window was deliberately scheduled to allow other examination bodies to conduct their own exercises immediately afterwards, leaving no available window for any extension, even if it were inclined to consider one.

Candidates were strongly advised to obtain their ePINs before the vending deadline and proceed immediately to accredited centres to complete their registration. "Waiting until the last few days may result in avoidable challenges, and the Board will not entertain any appeals for extension after the deadline," JAMB warned.

The board said it was announcing to prevent candidates from being shut out due to delay or complacency, and urged all prospective candidates to act without further delay.