The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has revealed that 1.5 million candidates have completed their registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination as of Tuesday, 17th February, even as the examination body reiterated its firm stance against extending the registration deadline.
In a statement released by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, on Tuesday, JAMB emphasised that the sale of ePINS, which began on January 26, will terminate at midnight on February 26, 2026, with no possibility of an extension.
Candidates who have already purchased their e-PINs will have until Saturday, 28th February 2026, to complete their registration at accredited Computer Based Test centres across the country.
“The board wishes to clearly state that there will be no extension of the registration deadline,” the statement emphasised.
Despite the impressive number of registered candidates, JAMB expressed concern over the underutilisation of registration facilities nationwide. The Board disclosed that registration centres are currently operating at barely 30% capacity, even though it has the infrastructure to process 100,000 candidates daily.
“The board has a daily registration capacity of 100,000 candidates, yet registration centres across the country are currently operating at barely 30% of that capacity. This indicates that a significant number of prospective candidates are yet to take advantage of the opportunity to register,” the statement noted.
JAMB explained that its examination schedule forms part of a nationally coordinated calendar agreed upon by all examination bodies operating in Nigeria, making any extension logistically impossible.
The Board stated that its registration window is strategically scheduled to enable other examination bodies to conduct their own exercises immediately afterwards, leaving no room for any extension.
“Consequently, there is no available window for any extension, even if the Board were inclined to consider one,” JAMB declared.
The examination body warned candidates against procrastination, stressing that those who delay registration until the final days may encounter avoidable challenges and should not expect special consideration after the deadline passes.
JAMB described the early warning as a proactive measure to ensure that no serious candidate is excluded from the examination process due to poor time management.
With just over a week remaining before the ePIN vending deadline, the Board urged all prospective candidates to act immediately to avoid disappointment.
Last Updated on February 18, 2026 by Ola Funmilayo
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