The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that the sale of e-PINs for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will close on Thursday, February 26, 2026, as the Board disclosed that over 1.5 million candidates have so far been successfully registered.
In a statement signed by Fabian Benjamin, Public Communication Advisor to JAMB, the Board said the sale of e-PINs which enables candidates to proceed to accredited centres for registration will end at 12:00 midnight on February 26.
The Board further clarified that while e-PIN vending will close on that date, actual registration at accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres for candidates who have already obtained their e-PINs will continue until Saturday, February 28, 2026.
As of Tuesday, February 17, 2026, JAMB said it had registered more than 1.5 million candidates for the 2026 UTME. Despite having a daily registration capacity of 100,000 candidates nationwide, the Board noted that centres are currently operating at barely 30 per cent of their capacity.
“The sale of e-PINs which enables a candidate to proceed to the Centre for registration will end at 12:00 midnight on Thursday, 26th February, 2026, while actual registration at accredited centres for those who already procure the ePIN will cease on Saturday, 28th February, 2026.
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“As of Tuesday, 17th February, 2026, the Board has successfully registered over 1.5 million candidates. The Board has a daily registration capacity of 100,000 candidates, yet registration centres across the country are currently operating at barely 30% of that capacity. This indicates that a significant number of prospective candidates are yet to take advantage of the opportunity to register,” the statement read
According to the Board, this indicates that a significant number of prospective candidates are yet to take advantage of the opportunity to register, even as the deadline approaches.
JAMB stressed that there will be no extension of the registration deadline, explaining that it operates within a nationally coordinated examination calendar agreed upon by all examination bodies in the country.
The Board said its registration timeline is strategically structured to allow other examination bodies to conduct their exercises immediately afterward, leaving no room for any extension.
The Board therefore urged all prospective candidates to obtain their e-PINs before the February 26 deadline and proceed promptly to accredited centres to complete their registration.
It warned that waiting until the final days could result in avoidable challenges and made it clear that it would not entertain appeals for extension once the deadline lapses.
“The Board wishes to clearly state that there will be no extension of the registration deadline. JAMB operates within a nationally coordinated examination calendar agreed upon by all examination bodies in Nigeria. The Board’s registration window is strategically scheduled to allow other examination bodies to conduct their own exercises immediately afterward. Consequently, there is no available window for any extension, even if the Board were inclined to consider one.
“Waiting until the last few days may result in avoidable challenges, and the Board will not entertain any appeals for extension after the deadline,” the statement added
