JAMB to Approve 1,039 CBT Centres for 2026 exam

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is set to accredit 1,039 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across the country for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This was disclosed by the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, during an accreditation tour of CBT centres in Ilorin.

According to Oloyede, 52 examination teams have been deployed nationwide to re-accredit centres and disqualify those that fail to meet the board’s standards. The annual accreditation exercise is aimed at ensuring compliance with laid-down requirements, with past approval not guaranteeing continued eligibility.

Oloyede emphasized that centres previously implicated in examination malpractice would not be allowed to participate, stating that “the fact that you qualified last year does not mean you qualify this year.” He noted that some centres had attempted to resurface, but JAMB had taken measures to prevent such attempts.

The registrar revealed that JAMB had strengthened its collaboration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to prevent operators of blacklisted centres from re-entering the system. “We have liaised with the CAC so that once you are a director of a failed CBT centre, you cannot resurrect anywhere in the country,” he said.

Oloyede added that staff and proctors previously implicated in malpractice had been barred from participating in future examinations. The board is taking steps to ensure the integrity of the examination process, with measures in place to prevent abuse and ensure compliance with standards.

The accreditation exercise is ongoing, with the board working to ensure that only centres meeting the required standards are allowed to participate in the 2026 UTME.