The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a strong warning to candidates preparing for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), cautioning them against double registration and misuse of National Identification Numbers (NINs).
The warning was given by the JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, during an interactive session with the Board’s management ahead of the commencement of registration for the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry (DE) examinations.
According to a weekly bulletin released on JAMB’s website on Monday, Prof. Oloyede stressed that candidates who engage in multiple registrations, use of multiple NINs, impersonation, or identity manipulation will face severe sanctions.
“Multiple or double registrations, as well as the use of more than one National Identification Number by a single candidate for impersonation or identity manipulation, are strictly prohibited,” the Registrar warned.
He further cautioned candidates against other examination malpractices, including impersonation, extortion, image blending, group registration, unauthorised movement of routers, donating fingerprints, and other irregular practices capable of undermining the integrity of the examination process.
Specifically, Prof. Oloyede warned against donating or accepting fingerprints to speed up biometric capturing at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, advising candidates to ensure that only their own ten fingers are captured individually and correctly during registration.
The Registrar reaffirmed JAMB’s commitment to a cashless registration system, noting that all third-party fees would continue to be centrally collected and remitted weekly to beneficiaries to prevent exploitation of candidates.
To enhance accountability, JAMB has also mandated administrators and tellers of partner financial institutions, including banks, microfinance institutions, and mobile money operators, to register their NINs with the Board as part of efforts to safeguard the e-PIN vending process.
Prof. Oloyede announced that UTME registration will run from January 26 to February 28, 2026, while the sale of UTME application documents will begin on January 19 and end on February 26, 2026. The cost of UTME without Mock remains ₦7,200, while UTME with Mock is ₦8,700.
He added that Direct Entry (DE) registration will commence on March 2 and close on April 25, 2026, with DE registration available only at JAMB offices nationwide.
The Board urged candidates to comply strictly with registration guidelines to avoid disqualification and ensure a smooth examination process.