The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) reminded all prospective candidates that the registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will end on Thursday, 26th February 2026.  

The Board emphasized that the deadline will not be extended under any circumstances. Candidates are strongly advised to complete their registration as soon as possible.  

JAMB expressed concern that many candidates are delaying registration until the last minute and then demand extensions — a pattern it says will not be tolerated in 2026.  

The Board noted that the registration started on Monday, 26th January 2026 and was originally scheduled to last five weeks. That timeline remains unchanged.  

So far, about one million candidates have shown interest and many have already obtained their e-PINs to complete registration.  

JAMB explained that extending the registration period would disrupt its schedule and interfere with the timelines of other national exams, so it is practically impossible to change the deadline.