![Hon. Festus Keyamo SAN arrives MMIA past 11:50 p.m. Feb 23 to lead oversight of Terminal 1 fire. Joined FAAN MD & team actively managing situation. Directed morning inspection Tuesday to guide restoration & confirm safety standards. Reaffirmed focus on passenger safety. Story: [link] #KeyamoMMIA #FireIncident #FAAN](https://fullcliphq.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/mym-150x150.jpg "MMIA Fire: Keyamo Inspects Lagos Airport After Terminal 1 Blaze Disrupts Flights")
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially crossed the 1.5 million registration mark for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Despite a significant number of prospective candidates yet to enroll, the Board has issued a final warning: there will be no extension to the February deadlines.
JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, confirmed the figures in a press statement released on February 18. The data shows that while over 1.5 million candidates have successfully boarded the system as of February 17, current daily traffic at accredited centres is operating at only 30% capacity.
The Final Countdown: Critical Deadlines
The Board has established a two-stage cutoff to ensure the examination remains on schedule for its April start date. Candidates must adhere to the following timeline:
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February 26, 2026: Deadline for the sale of e-PINs. No new registration process can be initiated after midnight on this date.
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February 28, 2026: Final deadline for biometric capture and registration at accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.
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April 16 – April 25, 2026: Official examination window for the 2026 UTME.
Capacity vs. Procrastination
JAMB highlighted that its infrastructure is built to handle up to 100,000 registrations per day. The current “low turnout” at centres suggests a looming last-minute rush – a scenario the Board is desperate to avoid. Dr. Benjamin noted that the strict adherence to these dates is necessary to accommodate a “tight national examination calendar” involving other major testing bodies.
Candidates are urged to secure their e-PINs immediately. Procrastination, the Board warned, often leads to avoidable technical hurdles and long queues that will not be met with late-entry concessions.
Registration Progress Since January
Since the portal opened on January 26, 2026, registration has shown steady progress, though it remains shy of the roughly two million candidates usually expected for the annual exercise. The UTME remains the mandatory gateway for students seeking admission into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Prospective applicants are advised to visit only JAMB – accredited CBT centres to complete their profiles and biometric data. The Board reminded the public that any registration done outside these authorized hubs is invalid.
