The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has denied claims of increasing its registration fees for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, urging candidates to report any Computer Based Test centre charging above the approved rates.
As of 17th February, over 1.5 million candidates had registered nationwide, with the sale of ePINs ending on Thursday and registration at accredited centres closing on Saturday, 28th February, for candidates who already purchased their ePINs.
Fabian Benjamin, JAMB spokesperson, clarified on Friday that the board’s fees have remained unchanged since 2019 despite rising operational costs, dismissing publications suggesting otherwise as false, misleading, and entirely unfounded.
“The attention of the Board has been drawn to a publication insinuating that the Board has increased its registration fees. The Board wishes to state categorically that this claim is false, misleading and entirely unfounded. The Board therefore urges members of the public, particularly prospective candidates and their parents or guardians, to disregard the publication and rely only on official information released through the Board’s verified platforms and advertisements,” the statement read.
JAMB maintained that approved fees remain N7,200 for UTME only without mock, N8,700 for UTME with mock, and N5,700 for Direct Entry, retaining the same fee structure from 2018 when the Federal Executive Council approved a reduction in the UTME application fee from N5,000 to N3,500, effective from the 2019 registration exercise.
The board provided a detailed breakdown showing Application Fee at ₦3,500; Reading Text at ₦1,000; CBT Centre Registration Service Charge at ₦700; CBT Centre UTME Service Charge at ₦1,500; Bank Charges at ₦500; and CBT Mock UTME Centre Charge at ₦1,500.
JAMB has advised parents and candidates to be cautious of individuals, agents, and centres that may attempt to mislead or exploit them into paying more than the officially approved registration fees. They also warned that any CBT centre found to be overcharging or engaging in unethical practices will face penalties.
“The Board encourages any candidate who has paid more than the officially approved registration fees to report such centres with credible evidence. These reports will allow the Board to investigate and take immediate disciplinary action against any centre found to be overcharging or engaging in unethical practices. For clarity, the approved registration fees are as follows: Direct Entry: ₦5,700; UTME Only without Mock: ₦7,200; UTME with Mock: ₦8,700,” stated the Board.
Candidates were strongly advised to carefully read the board’s official advertisements to avoid being misled or exploited by dishonest individuals or centres.
Last Updated on February 27, 2026 by Ola Funmilayo
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