The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board is making significant strides in its preparations for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination by setting a target to accredit 1,039 Computer-Based Test centers across the country. During a recent tour in Ilorin to oversee the accreditation process, the JAMB Registrar, Professor Is’haq Oloyede, explained that the board is taking a very firm stand on quality and integrity this year. He noted that 52 dedicated teams have been sent out to every corner of Nigeria to ensure that only the most capable and honest centers are allowed to operate.
One of the key messages from the Registrar was that center owners should not take their status for granted. Even if a center was approved for the previous year’s exam, it must undergo the same rigorous screening again to prove it still meets the necessary standards. Oloyede made it clear that past success does not guarantee a spot in the 2026 cycle, as the board is constantly looking to improve the environment where students sit for their exams.
The board is also closing the loop on those who try to bypass the rules through “repackaging.” In the past, some centers that were banned for examination malpractice would try to change their names or locations to get back into the system. To stop this, JAMB has teamed up with the Corporate Affairs Commission to track the people behind these businesses. By using National Identification Numbers, the board can now identify directors of failed centers and prevent them from opening new ones anywhere in the country.
This level of scrutiny isn’t just for the owners; it also applies to the people working on the ground. Staff members and proctors who have been caught helping students cheat or breaking rules in the past have had their identities flagged. Oloyede warned that any center that hires these blacklisted individuals would be putting its own approval in danger. This move is designed to clean up the entire ecosystem of the examination process, from the top management down to the hall supervisors.
While the Registrar described the current exercise as successful so far, he stressed that the board remains alert. By combining physical inspections with digital tracking through the CAC and NIN databases, JAMB is working to ensure that the 2026 UTME is conducted in a way that is fair for every candidate.
