UTME 2026: JAMB Issues Serious Warning to Prospective Candidates
- The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned candidates against biodata changes for the 2026 UTME registration
- Legit.ng reported that the registration for the UTME and Direct Entry would begin on January 26, 2026
- JAMB warned candidates to protect their personal information to avoid unauthorised changes
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering basic and tertiary education in Nigeria and worldwide.
FCT, Abuja - The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a warning regarding biodata integrity, biometric capture, and identity verification ahead of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry registration exercise.
Legit.ng reports that the UTME and Direct Entry registration will commence on Monday, January 26, 2026, and end on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
Source: Facebook
The board maintained a minimum age requirement of 16 years while outlining strict waiver conditions for underage candidates.
The examination body explained that the registration timelines, e-PIN categories, fees, and examination dates for UTME and Direct Entry were clearly defined.
JAMB warned 2026 UTME candidates against post-registration biodata changes.
As reported by The Punch, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Professor Oloyede warned UTME candidates against using multiple identity records and against third-party involvement in their profiles.
“Once a candidate completes 2026 registration with biodata supplied by NIMC, subsequent changes of biodata would not be effected by JAMB for the 2026 admission. No Change Will Be Tolerated.
“For 2026, changes in previous data by NIMC will only be updated on existing JAMB records only if the affected candidates go through a process RE-QUERY to retrieve the updated data through TEMPL 007 during 2026 registration.”
According to PM News, Oloyode disclosed that updates from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) would only apply under strict conditions.
“Any candidate who makes his password, profile code, or other security codes available to another person (parents, friends, tutorial teachers, fraudsters, etc.) is liable for any alteration done by such other person(s).”
Source: Twitter
UTME 2026: How to access brochure, syllabus
Recall that JAMB encouraged 2026 UTME candidates to scan the QR Code to access syllabus, brochure, and other vital information.
The board said prospective UTME candidates can view course combinations and reading texts through the QR Code.
Legit.ng reports that JAMB conducts UTME for admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions, facilitating undergraduate pathways.
Read more stories on JAMB/2026 UTME:
- UTME 2026: Will JAMB Increase Application Fee? Exam Board Speaks
- UTME 2026: JAMB Releases Registration Guidelines for Prospective Candidates, Details Emerge
- 2026 UTME: 4 Easy Step-by-Step Instructions on How To Successfully Register
- Drama as JAMB Officials Storm Out of Reps Hearing Amid Heated Exchange
- Reps Threaten to Arrest JAMB Registrar Oloyede, Reasons Emerge
JAMB sends message to institutions on irregular admissions
Legit.ng earlier reported that JAMB ordered universities to reverse irregular admissions, favouring lower-ranked candidates
The board said institutions must adhere to a defined admission framework prioritising merit, catchment, and educationally less developed states.
JAMB warned against tolerating the bypassing of higher-ranked candidates in admission processes.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
