The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has officially released the registration guidelines for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. This announcement — shared via the Board’s official social-media channel — is intended to help prospective candidates navigate the registration process smoothly and avoid common mistakes.
With the 2026 UTME registration window approaching, JAMB laid out clear instructions on how to generate a profile, purchase e-PINs, and complete registration correctly.
Step-by-Step: How to Register for 2026 UTME
Here’s what every candidate must do before heading to a registration centre:
- Ensure you have a valid National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) number (NIN), an active email address, and a functional phone number — these details will be used to generate your profile.
- Generate your JAMB Profile Code by sending your 11-digit NIN via SMS to either 55019 or 66019 (for example: “NIN 12345678901” to 55019/66019).
- Once generated, the profile code is permanent — you cannot later change the profile code. Biodata will automatically be pulled from NIMC records.
- After obtaining the profile code, visit either the nearest JAMB office or an approved Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre to complete registration and biometric capture.
- Purchase the official e-PIN only through authorized vendors (banks, online platforms, or designated vendors at registration centres).
- Confirm that all details — name, date of birth, state of origin, gender — on your NIMC record match those you want to appear on your JAMB profile. If there are discrepancies, correct them early before registration.
Key Dates to Remember
- Registration for 2026 UTME will open on Friday, 31 January 2026 and close on Saturday, 8 March 2026.
- Make sure to get your profile code and complete the registration as soon as possible — once the window closes, late registrations will not be accepted.
Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them
To help candidates avoid issues that have plagued past registration cycles, JAMB highlighted frequent errors and how to steer clear of them:
- Incorrect NIN submission format — sending a wrongly formatted SMS will trigger an “Error 550/66019.” Always adhere strictly to the format: “NIN space your 11-digit NIN”.
- “Number Already Registered” — if your phone number is already linked to another profile, you may either retrieve that SIM or use a different phone number.
- NIN verification failures — sometimes the NIMC system might not be reachable; in such cases, candidates are advised to wait a bit and retry later.
- Mismatched personal data — if your NIMC record doesn’t match your intended JAMB registration data (like name spelling, date of birth, etc.), make corrections with NIMC and confirm the changes before registration.
Additional Note: Student-Status Declaration
As part of a new policy for 2026, every UTME candidate must declare whether they are already enrolled in any tertiary institution (i.e. their current student status) during registration. This is a new requirement aimed at curbing registration by already-admitted students trying to game the system.
What This Means for Students & Parents
With these clear guidelines, prospective candidates now have a well-defined roadmap toward a successful 2026 UTME registration. That said:
- Start by ensuring your NIN and registered personal data (name, birthdate, gender, state of origin) are up to date with NIMC — this can’t be overstated.
- Treat your phone number and email address as permanent identifiers — reuse them wisely.
- Only purchase e-PINs from authorized sources — avoid “dealers” that may advertise lower prices but risk invalid registrations.
- Register early. As history shows, last-minute rushes often result in avoidable errors or missing slots at CBT centres.
- Ensure clarity on your current student status before declaring under the new policy — honesty here avoids eligibility issues.
