The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has declared that there would be no extension for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration as the February 26 deadline for e-PIN vending draws near.

In a statement issued yesterday, the examination body warned prospective candidates not to wait until the last minute, stressing that the registration window would close as scheduled in line with the nation’s coordinated examination calendar.

According to the Board, the sale of e-PINs — which enables candidates to proceed to accredited Computer-Based Test (CBaT) centres for registration – would end at 12:00 midnight on Thursday, February 26, 2026, while physical registration for candidates who have already obtained their ePINs would cease on Saturday, February 28, 2026. The statement partly reads: “As of Tuesday, 17th February, 2026, the Board has successfully registered over 1.5 million candidates.

“The Board has a daily registration capacity of 100,000 candidates, yet registration centres across the country are currently operating at barely 30 per cent of that capacity.” The Board described the low turnout at registration centers as worrying, noting that thousands of prospective candidates were yet to take advantage of the opportunity.

“We wish to clearly state that there would be no extension of the registration deadline. JAMB operates within a nationally coordinated examination calendar agreed upon by all examination bodies in Nigeria. Consequently, there is no available window for any extension, even if the Board were inclined to consider one.”

The examination body warned that waiting until the final days could lead to avoidable complications, including network congestion and overcrowding at accredited centres. “Waiting until the last few days may result in avoidable challenges, and the Board will not entertain any appeals for extension after the deadline,” it stressed.

The Board described the early announcement as a proactive measure to prevent genuine candidates from being shut out due to delay or complacency. “We are taking this proactive step to ensure that no candidate who genuinely desires to sit for the 2026 UTME is shut out,” the statement added, urging all prospective candidates to obtain their e-PINs immediately and complete their registration before the deadline.