The opening day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Thursday produced a split picture across Nigeria, with technical disruptions reported at some Computer Based Test (CBT) centres even as candidates at several Abuja locations praised the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for a well organised exercise.
More than 2.2 million candidates are registered for the examination, which runs across 966 CBT centres nationwide until Wednesday, April 22.
At Skillpath International Academy in Karu, Abuja, where 4,000 candidates are scheduled to sit the examination, the first session suffered a delay of approximately 15 minutes after examination questions failed to appear on computer screens until around 8:45am, despite candidates being seated from 8am. Some desktops, mice, and keyboards also malfunctioned during the session.
A CBT technician at the centre, identified as Nonso, attributed the delay to JAMB’s question upload process, warning that such setbacks could hurt candidate performance.
“The candidates are supposed to just walk in, log onto their system and write their exams. The delay contributes to poor performance,” he stated.
JAMB’s General Monitor Group Representative, Nnenna Akajemeli, rejected that position, placing responsibility squarely on the centre’s management for failing to ensure all systems were operational before the examination began. She confirmed that the affected batch would be required to resit the examination.
“This is just in line and in keeping with what JAMB has promised to do for them so that nobody’s chances are compromised. It is just to be fair to them,” Akajemeli explained.
She also questioned the centre’s approval status, pointing out the absence of a backup system, a requirement under JAMB’s accreditation standards. Centre owner Alphonsus Ekpenyong pushed back, insisting the facility had performed without incident in previous years.
The situation contrasted sharply with reports from other Abuja centres. At Aduvie International School CBT centre, administrator Sylvester Edom confirmed that the first session commenced as scheduled, with 235 candidates participating without any technical hitches recorded.
Candidates at the centre described the process as seamless. Stephen Sonde noted that biometric verification, seating arrangements and system performance all ran without interruption.
“The system worked perfectly from the beginning to the end,” he said.
At Gudmerc Kiddies Academy CBT centre in Kurudu, candidate Elijah Itua also reported a smooth experience, noting only a minor delay caused by the late arrival of some candidates rather than any technical failure.
Parents at various centres called on JAMB to invest in dedicated examination infrastructure, arguing that reliance on school facilities sometimes contributed to logistical difficulties.
Last Updated on April 17, 2026 by Ola Funmilayo
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