- JAMB has clarified that undergraduate students will not be barred from registering for UTME.
- The statement was made by the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, during the UTME registration inspection in Port Harcourt.
- Oloyede labeled the claims false and misleading.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has refuted claims that undergraduate students will be barred from registering for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking while inspecting the ongoing UTME registration process in Port Harcourt shortly after the second matriculation ceremony of the University of Wigwe, the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, described the reports as false and deliberately misleading.
He clarified that students who are already studying in universities can appear for UTME, stressing that any other implied statement did not come from the board. According to him, individuals spreading such information misrepresent JAMB.
Professor Oloyede revealed that some impersonators pretended to be JAMB officials to organize media briefings and make public statements in the name of the committee. He said several of them had been arrested, including those who were found to be in possession of fake identity cards and falsely claimed to represent JAMB.
The Registrar explained that candidates who have already been admitted are still free to seek admission to a different institution, apply to change courses or restart their academic journey if they wish.
Looking back at previous admissions exercises, he noted that more than 800,000 candidates were offered admission in the last cycle, many of whom later requested to change their courses or institutions.
On the issue of examination malpractice, Professor Oloyede said although the problem has not been completely eradicated, cases have decreased over time. He urged parents to discourage immoral behavior and warned that children often imitated the behavior of adults. He stressed the need to inculcate the values of honesty and integrity in the country to curb corruption.
Addressing concerns over this year’s registration process, the JAMB boss acknowledged that there have been challenges in 2025 but assured the public that corrective measures have been taken to avoid a repeat of the past.
He also dismissed reports that certain categories of candidates, including those with albinism, would be denied registration, saying such claims were baseless. According to him, all discovered vulnerabilities in the system have been addressed.
JAMB currently operates 984 accredited computer-based testing (CBT) centers across the country and plans to increase the number to 1,000. The registration activity is expected to end on February 28, 2026, and no extension has been announced yet.
