The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination kicked off across the country on Thursday with more than 2.2 million candidates expected to sit the test between April 16 and April 25 at 966 accredited computer based test centres nationwide. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board is examining multiple daily sessions to manage the volume of candidates and maintain orderly operations throughout the period.

A visit to the Rosa Mystica Academy CBT centre in Byazhin, Kubwa, within the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, confirmed a smooth and orderly morning session. Biometric verification officer Peter Idu told journalists that 236 of the 250 candidates scheduled for the 8:30 a.m. session turned up and were successfully screened without any technical difficulties. "The biometric session for this morning's exam went well. There was no issue. Out of 250 candidates scheduled for the 8:30 examination, 236 turned up and were screened successfully," he said.

Centre supervisor Adeosun Olawola confirmed that proceedings began on schedule and were well coordinated. "This is the first session, and everything is in order. The candidates also tried to arrive on time. We started checking them by around 6:30 a.m., and as you can see, the exam started at 8:30 a.m. on the dot, which is the stipulated time to commence the exam," he said. Olawola attributed the absence of misconduct to early sensitisation and strict entry checks, adding that all cooling systems, computers and equipment were functioning properly following a preparatory trial run conducted the previous day.

JAMB had earlier confirmed that all arrangements were in place and advised candidates to print their examination slips ahead of time. Before the main examination, the board conducted a mock UTME to assess system readiness, following which 23 CBT centres were delisted for failing to meet required standards and 11 technical officials were removed for poor performance.

The board has deployed biometric verification and real time monitoring systems to curb malpractice and reiterated its zero tolerance stance on infractions. Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, speaking at a virtual briefing, urged examination officials to demonstrate diligence, noting that the success of the exercise depends largely on their conduct. JAMB also adjusted the arrival time for the first session from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. while retaining the 8:30 a.m. start time. The examination continues nationwide over the coming days.