Key Points
- The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board released results for 632,788 candidates who sat the 2026 UTME on April 16, with candidates advised to check scores via SMS to 55019 or 66019 using the registered phone number.
- JAMB confirmed the exam is still ongoing and results will be released progressively in batches as processing is completed across the 10-day examination window.
- Two candidates and a parent are already in custody for using artificial intelligence and other electronic tools to falsify result scores, with JAMB warning that any candidate found guilty will face the full weight of the law.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released results for the first day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, making scores available for 632,788 candidates who sat the test on April 16, while simultaneously warning that some people have already tried to fake their numbers and are now in custody.
The announcement came through a statement signed by JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin on Friday. The speed of the release, which came within roughly 24 hours of the first sitting, drew notice. Observers described it as one of the fastest result releases in the agency’s history.
How to check your result
Candidates who sat on April 16 can access their scores by sending the text “UTMERESULT” via SMS to either 55019 or 66019. The message must come from the same phone number used during registration; a different SIM will not work. JAMB was clear that result viewing is available now, but printing is not.
“At this stage, candidates may view their results only; printing is not yet available,” the statement read.
The board added that more results will roll out in batches as the examination continues. JAMB scheduled the 2026 UTME to run from April 16 to April 25 across 959 accredited computer-based test centers nationwide. This means the board still expects a significant volume of results, and JAMB said it will release them progressively as it completes processing.
AI fraud, arrests and a sharp warning
Even before the ink was dry on the first batch, JAMB had already made arrests. Two candidates and one parent are currently in custody for engaging in result falsification using artificial intelligence and other electronic means, according to the board’s statement.
The specific nature of the falsification scheme, whether candidates were doctoring SMS text strings received from JAMB’s official number or using other digital manipulation, was not fully spelled out. But the board left no ambiguity about where it stands.
“Candidates are strongly cautioned against manipulating the SMS received from the official platform to fabricate or alter scores with the intent to mislead others, including parents. Such actions constitute a serious criminal offence,” the statement said.
Why this matters beyond results day
The fraud warning carries weight that goes beyond this cycle’s candidates. JAMB has spent years trying to tighten the integrity of a process that feeds university admissions for millions of Nigerians annually. The emergence of AI-assisted score manipulation, where candidates or their families alter result data to deceive institutions and parents, marks a new front in that battle.
The board’s move to publicly disclose the arrests, rather than handle the matter quietly, appears deliberate. It signals that JAMB intends to use early enforcement as a deterrent while the rest of the examination window remains open.
Candidates who sat on days after April 16 are still waiting. The board did not specify an exact timeline for subsequent result batches but confirmed it will release them as they become available. The board advises candidates to keep checking through official SMS channels and to avoid unofficial platforms or third-party result portals.
