The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that candidates currently enrolled in tertiary institutions are eligible to register for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE), provided they fully disclose their matriculation status.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB warned that failure to declare an existing admission could result in the forfeiture of both the old and new admissions.
The Board said its attention had been drawn to what it described as deliberate misrepresentation of its registration guidelines by “self-styled education advocates,” noting that such actions have caused unnecessary confusion among candidates and parents.
According to Benjamin, these individuals often emerge at the start of every registration cycle, spreading distorted narratives without properly reading or understanding official guidelines, largely to generate attention on social media platforms.
He stressed that registering for UTME or DE while already enrolled in an institution is not an offence.
However, concealing such status violates existing regulations, as no candidate is allowed to hold two admissions simultaneously.
Benjamin explained that disclosure simply means that once a candidate secures a new admission through UTME or DE, any previous admission automatically lapses, in line with the law.
He also revealed that recent findings show some matriculated students have been involved in examination malpractice as professional examination takers, adding that mandatory disclosure helps the Board take swift and appropriate action when such cases are identified.
While noting that JAMB’s system is capable of detecting prior matriculation, Benjamin cautioned that candidates who fail to make proper disclosure risk losing both admission opportunities.
He urged the public to rely solely on official JAMB communications and carefully read approved guidelines, warning against misleading interpretations circulated by unverified sources.
JAMB had earlier announced that registration for the 2026 UTME officially commenced on January 26 as part of efforts to strengthen examination integrity.