The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released results for 632,788 candidates who sat the first day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), marking one of the fastest result releases in the examination body's history.

JAMB announced on Friday night that candidates who wrote the examination on Thursday, 16th April, can now access their scores through a designated SMS platform.

In a statement posted on his X handle, Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB's spokesperson, instructed candidates to send "UTMERESULT" via SMS to either 55019 or 66019, using the same phone number registered during the application process.

Dr Benjamin explained that candidates can presently only view their scores, noting that the facility to print result slips would be activated subsequently.

"The results of candidates who sat the 2026 UTME on Thursday, 16 April 2026, have been released and are now available for viewing," the statement read.

"To check their results, candidates should send UTMERESULT via SMS to 55019 or 66019, using the same phone number used during registration.

IMPORTANT! Check out our best guide on how to check your result without stress: JAMB UTME Result Checker 2026

"At this stage, candidates may view their results only; printing is not yet available," Dr Benjamin stated.

The ongoing UTME, which commenced on 16th April, is scheduled to continue until 22nd April across examination centres nationwide.

In a stern warning, JAMB cautioned against the falsification or manipulation of examination scores, emphasising that tampering with official result messages constitutes a criminal offence.

The Board disclosed that it has already apprehended two candidates and one parent for allegedly falsifying UTME results using artificial intelligence and other electronic methods.

Dr Benjamin warned that offenders would face prosecution, stressing that any candidate found guilty of examination malpractice or score manipulation would be subjected to the full rigour of the law.

He added that additional results would be released progressively in batches as the nationwide examination continues throughout the week.

The swift release of results demonstrates JAMB's commitment to improving service delivery and reducing anxiety amongst candidates awaiting their scores.

Candidates are advised to utilise only the official SMS channels provided by JAMB and to refrain f32rom engaging with individuals or platforms claiming to offer result checking services, as these may be fraudulent schemes.