The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a slight adjustment to the arrival time for candidates sitting the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), particularly those scheduled for the first session.
In a statement released via its official X handle on Monday, the board said candidates for the first session are now expected to arrive at their examination centres by 7:00 a.m., instead of the earlier scheduled 6:30 a.m.
The examination will now commence at 8:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 a.m.
The board explained that the adjustment is part of efforts to improve coordination and ease logistical challenges at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.
It also noted that candidates are not required to reprint their examination slips following the update.
According to JAMB, the UTME timetable will continue with four daily sessions running from Monday to Friday, with adjusted timing across all batches to ensure smoother operations at examination centres.
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The 2026 UTME is scheduled to hold from Thursday, April 16 to Saturday, April 25, 2026 across designated centres nationwide.
The adjustment follows feedback from candidates and parents over difficulties associated with very early morning travel, including safety concerns and transportation challenges, particularly for those coming from distant locations.
JAMB emphasized that the new schedule is designed to improve candidate experience and ensure a more efficient conduct of the nationwide examination.
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