JAMB Stresses Disclosure of Previous Admissions, Sets UTME Age Requirement

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned candidates to declare their prior registration and admission history, citing concerns over examination malpractice during last year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Speaking in Lagos on Saturday during a meeting with Commissioners for Education ahead of the 2025 UTME and Direct Entry exercises, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede emphasized that it is illegal for a student to run more than one undergraduate programme concurrently. Failure to disclose prior admissions will attract sanctions.

Oloyede also set the general eligibility age for UTME applicants, stating that candidates must be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026. Underage candidates will undergo an intensive evaluation to determine eligibility for a waiver, provided they score at least 80 percent in UTME/A’LEVEL, PUTME, SSCE, and the exceptional candidate assessment.

Regarding registration timelines, Prof. Oloyede said the sale of the UTME application document, the ePIN, will start before the official registration period. Actual registration at approved CBT centres will run from January 26 to February 28, 2026.