JAMB Fires Back: Varsity Students Can Still Register For 2026 UTME/DE

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has refuted reports suggesting that students who are already admitted into tertiary institutions are prohibited from registering for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) or Direct Entry (DE).

JAMB described the information as false and a misrepresentation of its admission policies.

In a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday, the Board’s spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said the rumours were being spread by individuals posing as education advocates, mainly to gain attention and generate social media engagement.

Benjamin clarified that the official 2026 UTME and DE registration notice clearly requires candidates to indicate whether they are already matriculated during the registration process. This, he explained, is part of JAMB’s efforts to prevent candidates from holding multiple admissions.

He emphasised that it is not illegal for already-enrolled students to sit for UTME or apply through Direct Entry, provided they declare their current admission status.

“The 2026 UTME/DE advertisement clearly directed candidates to disclose their matriculation status during registration,” he stated.

However, Benjamin warned that failing to disclose an existing admission is an offence under Nigeria’s admission regulations.

He noted that once a candidate obtains a new admission, any previous admission automatically becomes void, stressing that no individual is allowed to hold two admissions at the same time.

Benjamin added that the disclosure policy has helped curb the activities of students who register repeatedly as professional exam candidates.

He further cautioned that anyone who conceals their admission status risks losing both the old and new admissions once detected by JAMB’s system.

The Board advised candidates and the public to disregard misleading reports and rely only on official JAMB communication to avoid jeopardising their admission chances.