JAMB has extended the 2026 Direct Entry registration deadline to May 8, 2026, while also approving five additional registration centres to expand access for prospective candidates across Nigeria.
- +JAMB extends 2026 Direct Entry registration to May 8, adds five new centres
The extension was announced by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in a statement issued by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin.
The extension was announced by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in a statement issued by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin.
The decision comes as the Board seeks to ease registration pressure and improve access for candidates ahead of the 2026 admission cycle.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board explained that the extension of the Direct Entry registration deadline and the approval of additional centres were aimed at ensuring broader access to tertiary education opportunities.
The statement, issued by Fabian Benjamin, highlighted the Board’s position on improving accessibility and reducing pressure on existing registration points.
The Board noted that the extension is intended to provide candidates with additional time to complete their registration without disruption or exclusion.
As part of the expansion strategy, JAMB approved five new registration centres located in high-demand areas across Nigeria to ease congestion and improve accessibility for Direct Entry applicants.
The newly approved centres include institutions and facilities spread across Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, and Lagos States.
JAMB also confirmed that its zonal and state offices, alongside Professional Registration Centres (PRCs) and Professional Testing Centres (PTCs), remain active for ongoing Direct Entry registration.
The Board said the expansion is designed to reduce bottlenecks and ensure equitable access to registration services across the country.
The 2026 UTME has been concluded, having run from April 16 to April 25, 2026, across Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.
Earlier in the exercise, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board reported strong early results within the first three days of the examination.
The Board noted that the UTME was structured to run over a 10-day period, supported by expanded infrastructure to accommodate the large number of candidates.
The Federal Government has also continued investments in JAMB’s Computer-Based Test infrastructure, with over N1.3 billion allocated in the 2026 Appropriation Bill for CBT and ICT-related projects across several states.
The funding is targeted at expanding examination capacity and improving digital infrastructure used for registration and testing.
The investments are part of broader efforts to strengthen examination integrity, expand access to tertiary education entry systems, and reduce operational challenges during peak registration periods.
