Amid growing public concern over an alleged incident at Afe Babalola University, JAMB has moved to set the record straight on its position regarding hijab use during the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination registration.

The clarification followed the circulation of a video on social media suggesting that a female candidate was asked to remove her hijab before biometric capture, a claim that sparked widespread debate about possible discrimination against Muslim candidates.

JAMB, responding through its verified platform, maintained that it has never issued any directive prohibiting candidates from wearing the hijab, either in the past or at present. The Board explained that the procedure in question is a standard biometric requirement demanding that both ears remain visible during photo capture, a practice it described as globally accepted and applied in international passport and visa processing for accurate facial recognition.

Critically, the Board drew a clear distinction between ear visibility and hijab removal, stressing that one does not require the other.

"For clarity, candidates are not required to remove their hijab. The simple requirement is that the ears be visible during photo capture, which can be done without removing the hijab itself," the statement read.

On the specific incident that prompted public outcry, JAMB clarified that the candidate was asked to formally state in writing that she personally chose not to comply with the ear visibility guideline, so that the record would accurately reflect the circumstances and prevent future misrepresentation. The Board added that the candidate was eventually captured successfully.

JAMB also urged the public to refrain from spreading misleading information and to seek proper clarification before concluding, reaffirming its commitment to respecting the religious beliefs and rights of all candidates regardless of background.

On the broader registration timeline, JAMB Registrar Ishaq Oloyede confirmed that registration for the 2026 UTME commenced on January 26, 2026, and will close on February 28, 2026, with ePIN vending running from January 19 to February 26, 2026.

For Direct Entry candidates, the sale of application documents and ePIN vending opens on March 2, 2026, and closes on April 25, 2026, with registration handled exclusively at JAMB zonal and state offices across the country.