The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exam UTME has officially started across Nigeria today. More than 2.2 million students are taking part in the examination, which is one of the biggest school-related tests in the country.
The UTME is organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and It is an important exam for students who want to gain admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in Nigeria.
The examination will run for seven days, from April 16 to April 22, 2026, plus Each day is divided into several sessions so that all candidates can be properly managed, as this helps reduce crowding at the Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and makes the process smoother.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, addressed exam officials in a virtual meeting before the examination began, urging them to be highly committed, disciplined, and professional in their duties. According to him, the success of the UTME depends largely on how well the officials perform during the exercise.
He also praised technical staff, support workers, and service providers for their efforts during the mock examination conducted earlier, further noting that some of the challenges recorded during the mock test were caused by poor inspection and evaluation of some examination centres.
To encourage better performance, he announced that teams who perform well during the examination process will receive incentives. This includes rewards for those who handle examination materials properly and submit reports on time.
