The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said pin vending for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will close on Saturday, February 28.
The board announced this in a statement by its Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, yesterday in Abuja.
The statement said as of Tuesday, February 17, the board had successfully registered over 1.5 million candidates for the examination.
The statement reads: “The sale of e-PINs, which enables a candidate to proceed to the Centre for registration, will end at 12:00 midnight on Thursday, February 26, 2026, while actual registration at accredited centres for those who already procure the ePIN will cease on Saturday, February 28, 2026
“As of Tuesday, February 17, 2026, the board had successfully registered over 1.5 million candidates. The board has a daily registration capacity of 100,000 candidates, yet registration centres across the country are currently operating at barely 30 per cent of that capacity.
This indicates that a significant number of prospective candidates have yet to take advantage of the opportunity to register.
In a statement issued in Abuja by its Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the board disclosed that as of Tuesday, February 17, over 1.5 million candidates had successfully registered for the examination. Despite the impressive figure, JAMB noted that many eligible candidates are yet to begin the registration process.
The board revealed that it has the capacity to register up to 100,000 candidates daily across the country. However, registration centres are currently operating at barely 30 per cent of that capacity, an indication that turnout remains relatively low compared to available infrastructure.
JAMB explained that the sale of e-PINs, which enables candidates to proceed to accredited centres for biometric capturing and data completion, will end at 12:00 midnight on Thursday, February 26, 2026. Candidates who have already purchased their e-PINs will still be allowed to complete their registration before the final deadline.
Actual registration at accredited centres will cease on Saturday, February 28, 2026. The board emphasised that this timeline remains firm and advised candidates to act promptly to avoid being shut out of the process.
The 2026 UTME is scheduled to hold from April 16 to April 25 nationwide, with JAMB reiterating its commitment to conducting a smooth, transparent and credible examination for all registered candidates.
