Why we won’t extend registration deadline — JAMB
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has explained why it will not extend the registration deadline for candidates sitting for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) nationwide.
Approximately 2 million candidates are expected to register between Monday, February 3, and Monday, March 3—a five-week period—with a daily registration target of about 60,000 candidates.
The UTME is Nigeria’s entrance exam conducted by JAMB for students seeking admission into both public and private tertiary institutions.
As of Friday afternoon, no fewer than 782,027 candidates had registered across the 856 designated accredited centers nationwide. Among them, 11,553 candidates are underage, as they are below the official minimum age requirement of 16 years for university admission in the country.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, stated this position on Friday in Lagos while monitoring the registration exercise at some Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers in the metropolis.
Some of the CBT centers visited include JKK House on Ikorodu Road, Yaba College of Technology, Human Development Initiatives in Iwaya, and Yaba LCDA e-library on Herbert Macaulay Way.
Addressing journalists, Oloyede expressed satisfaction with the smooth registration process recorded so far across the country.
According to him, JAMB has never had a registration process as seamless, fast, and efficient as this year’s.
“Previously, we usually had cases of network failure, power outages, and other technical issues. But this year, the process has been very fast and smooth, and we expect it to continue this way until the end.
“That is why, as of this afternoon, we have already registered 782,027 candidates nationwide within just 10 days, which is less than two weeks out of the five-week registration period we set as our deadline.”
Oloyede noted that this year marks the first time JAMB has registered up to 80,000 candidates per day, with the figure increasing daily.
“Even on Thursday, we registered close to 100,000 candidates across the country, which means we will complete the process long before our deadline.
“Therefore, there will be no need for an extension of the registration period.”
Oloyede reiterated that while there is an official minimum age for university admission, underage candidates who are exceptionally gifted are allowed to register for the exam as long as they can prove their capability.
“We have made a mockery of age limitations for university admission in Nigeria, but in other places, it is not like that. There are always exceptional students—perhaps one in a million. But no matter how few they are, we should not close the door on them, which is why we allow them to register.”
Similarly, he added that JAMB permits candidates who are not yet ready for admission because they lack their O’Level results but wish to familiarize themselves with the Computer-Based Test (CBT) format to register for the exam.
“So, we don’t deny such candidates the opportunity to register.”
Oloyede also clarified that candidates can register at any accredited CBT center nationwide, as the UTME is an individual-based exam rather than a school-based one.
He further emphasized that, given the transparent registration process, no candidate should fall victim to extortion by unscrupulous individuals.
