The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has mandated live monitoring of all Computer Based Test centres during 2026 registration, threatening non payment and possible invalidation for non compliant centres.

"All centres participating in the 2026 registration exercise must be monitored live from the headquarters," JAMB stated. "Any centre whose registration activities are not viewed from the headquarters will not be paid, and such registration may be invalidated."

CBT centres must maintain stable internet and functioning surveillance throughout registration. Technical failures or deliberate avoidance could result in financial penalties and invalidation of all registrations conducted. If JAMB refuses payment, centres conduct registrations without compensation. If registrations are invalidated, centres may face legal liability from affected candidates.

Live monitoring typically involves real time video feeds or screen sharing allowing headquarters staff to observe remote activities as they occur. This includes monitoring biometric capture, data entry, and candidate interactions to ensure protocol compliance and detect malpractice.

The system addresses longstanding issues: fraudulent activities at some centres, improper biometric capture, registration of absent candidates, data manipulation, and circumvention of registration rules. Real time oversight allows JAMB to detect and intervene immediately rather than discovering problems after registration completion.

Compliant centres need: reliable high speed internet supporting live video streaming; functioning surveillance cameras or monitoring software; backup power ensuring monitoring continues during outages; and trained staff understanding they're monitored. Centres in areas with poor connectivity may struggle, potentially reducing available registration centres in some regions.

The monitoring reduces fraud and ensures proper registration procedures. However, if a centre loses connectivity during registration, it could invalidate that registration despite the candidate following all procedures correctly. Candidates should verify centres have reliable infrastructure before registering there.

JAMB stated no centre can compel anyone to register, and no centre should request or accept candidate passwords during registration. Registration can only occur at JAMB approved centres, not cyber cafes or unauthorised locations.

Centres must use dual screen systems so candidates confirm their photograph and biometrics are captured correctly in real time.

The list of JAMB accredited centres is available at www.jamb.gov.ng. Candidates should verify their chosen centre appears on this list before registering. Only centres meeting JAMB's technical requirements, including live monitoring capability, should appear on the accredited list.

Candidates observing non functioning monitoring systems should report to JAMB through the ticketing system at www.jamb.gov.ng. Early reporting might help avoid registration invalidation if JAMB can address failures and retroactively verify registration validity.