KEY POINTS

• JAMB UTME registration rules allow enrolled students to apply.
• Disclosure of existing admission status is mandatory.
• JAMB UTME registration rules prohibit holding two admissions.

Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board dismissed reports claiming that universities bar already-enrolled candidates from registering for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry admissions, and it described the claims as misleading.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, JAMB said it has not restricted registration by students currently in tertiary institutions. Instead, the board said its rules require full disclosure of a candidate’s matriculation status during registration to prevent multiple admissions.

The clarification follows online claims suggesting that undergraduates were automatically disqualified from registering for the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry examinations, a position JAMB said misrepresents its published guidelines.

JAMB UTME registration rules focus on disclosure

JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin said the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry advertisement clearly instructs candidates to declare whether they are already matriculated. He said the requirement aligns with the board’s legal mandate to ensure transparency in the admissions process.

“It is not an offence for a candidate already enrolled in an institution to register for UTME or Direct Entry,” Benjamin said. “What constitutes an offence is the failure to disclose an existing matriculation status.”

According to JAMB, disclosure means that once a candidate secures a new admission, any previous admission automatically lapses. Nigerian regulations do not allow candidates to hold two admissions at the same time.

Benjamin said the policy has helped curb the practice of matriculated students repeatedly sitting entrance examinations as professional candidates, a trend the board has sought to eliminate through tighter data checks.

JAMB UTME registration rules warn of penalties

The board warned that candidates who fail to disclose their status during registration risk losing both admissions if JAMB’s systems detect the omission. The spokesperson said the consequences apply regardless of the institution involved.

JAMB also criticised what it described as “self-styled education advocates” who, it said, distort official guidelines to generate attention and online traffic. The board urged candidates and parents to rely on official publications and verified statements rather than social media commentary.

The UTME remains Nigeria’s primary gateway examination into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, making changes or perceived restrictions a sensitive issue each admissions cycle.

As preparations for the 2026 examinations continue, JAMB said it will maintain its disclosure requirements while allowing eligible candidates, including those already enrolled elsewhere, to participate in the process within the law.