The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has cautioned candidates registering for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) against providing false information, warning that offenders risk prosecution, a three-year ban from the exam, and public exposure in national newspapers.
Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede issued the warning in JAMB’s weekly bulletin on Monday, stressing that registration infractions are serious offences.
“Candidates may be barred from sitting the UTME for up to three years. Names of defaulters may also be published in national dailies and circulated to other examination bodies,” Oloyede said.
He explained that candidates sign an attestation during registration, committing to provide accurate information. Any falsification of data, he warned, would attract sanctions and could involve agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC, or the Nigerian Police.
Oloyede noted that the attestation clause was introduced after past legal disputes with candidates, serving as a formal verification of credentials and a safeguard against fraud.
The Registrar also expressed concern over low turnout at accredited centres despite registration being underway. He reminded candidates that registration closes on February 26, 2026, with no extension, as delays would disrupt the national examination calendar.
“This recurring pattern, where candidates deliberately wait until the last minute and subsequently agitate for an extension, will not be entertained,” he said.
He accused fake tutorial operators and exam cheats of misleading candidates into delaying registration to create opportunities for malpractice. JAMB, he added, is aware of these tactics and has factored them into its planning.
Registration began on January 26, 2026, and will last five weeks. So far, about one million candidates have expressed interest, with many already obtaining their ePINs to complete registration.
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