The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has commenced nationwide accreditation of 848 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres ahead of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The exercise, which began on Monday, December 15, is part of JAMB’s early preparations to improve standardisation, security, and technical readiness for the examination.
JAMB said the accreditation drive aligns with its ongoing efforts to curb examination malpractice, upgrade centre quality, and restore public confidence in the UTME process.
Background
The move follows widespread technical failures and irregularities during the 2025 UTME. JAMB admitted that system errors affected nearly 380,000 candidates across 157 centres, mainly in Lagos and the South-East, leading to a resit.
The Board also uncovered cases of identity and biometric fraud, as well as 244 incidents of candidates using “WhatsApp runs” to access leaked questions, with allegations of centre collusion. Four centres were subsequently delisted over operational deficiencies, forcing affected candidates to resit their exams at alternative venues.
What JAMB is saying
JAMB disclosed that the accreditation is being conducted simultaneously across the country, involving Chief External Examiners, Chief Technical Advisors, zonal directors, state coordinators, IT officers, members of the Computer Professionals Association of Nigeria, and other technical personnel.
Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB, urged accreditation teams to carry out their duties with diligence and a strong sense of responsibility, stressing that their decisions would have long-term implications for the integrity of the UTME. He noted that centres failing to meet required standards would not be approved.
Technical requirements
JAMB’s IT Consultant, Mr. Damilola Bamiro, explained that only centres that passed the Board’s mandatory automated system-readiness test were eligible for physical inspection.
He said accreditation teams would assess key technical requirements, including:
- Full CCTV coverage using HIKVision cameras with 16 channels
- Verifiable holding rooms close to examination halls
- A minimum of 250 functional laptops for new centres
- CCTV-covered registration points
- Network cabling for biometric verification
- Star topology network configuration for efficient troubleshooting
According to Bamiro, only centres that meet these minimum standards will be cleared to host the 2026 UTME.
