JAMB to accredit 1,039 CBT centres for 2026 UTME
JAMB to Accredit 1,039 CBT Centres Nationwide for 2026 UTME
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to accredit a total of 1,039 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Nigeria for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The disclosure was made by the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, during an accreditation tour of CBT centres in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Wednesday.
52 Accreditation Teams Deployed Nationwide
According to Oloyede, JAMB has deployed 52 examination teams across the country to either re-accredit existing centres or disqualify those that fail to meet the board’s strict operational standards.
He emphasised that CBT centre accreditation is an annual exercise and that past approval does not automatically guarantee continued eligibility.
“The fact that you qualified last year does not mean you qualify this year,” the registrar stated.
Crackdown on Examination Malpractice
Oloyede described the ongoing accreditation process as largely successful, noting that only a few previously implicated centres had attempted to re-emerge under different identities.
He revealed that some centres involved in examination malpractice in previous years had tried to repackage themselves by relocating or changing operational details.
“Some centres that were implicated in examination malpractice last year, not in Kwara State though, have repackaged themselves this year, moving from one centre to another,” he said.
JAMB Partners CAC to Block Blacklisted Operators
To curb abuse of the accreditation system, the registrar disclosed that JAMB has strengthened collaboration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Under the new arrangement, directors of blacklisted CBT centres will be prevented from registering or operating new centres anywhere in Nigeria.
“We now have access to directors’ details, including their NIN, to prevent abuse,” Oloyede said.
NIN Flagging and Permanent Ban on Compromised Equipment
Oloyede further explained that individuals such as staff and proctors previously implicated in malpractice have had their National Identification Numbers (NINs) permanently flagged.
“All individuals involved have their NINs flagged. If they move elsewhere, they will destroy that centre because we will not approve it,” he added.
In addition, computers used by delisted CBT centres have also been permanently barred from JAMB’s system.
“Once a computer set is found belonging to a centre we have delisted, it can never come back to our system, even if sold to another CBT centre,” the registrar said.
Security Agencies Invited Over Breaches
The JAMB boss disclosed that a few breaches had already been detected during the accreditation process, prompting the involvement of security agencies.
He noted that such actions were not only violations of JAMB regulations but also offences under Nigerian law.
CBT Centre Accreditation Requirements Explained
Speaking on the technical requirements, the Chief Technical Adviser to the accreditation team in Kwara State, Prof. Veronica Mejabi, explained that centres must meet both hard and soft criteria.
- Hard criteria: Implementation of a specified network topology for effective troubleshooting
- Power backup: Availability of inverters and generators
- Soft criteria: Adequate waiting areas, functional toilet facilities, and CCTV surveillance
Unilorin VC Warns Candidates
Also speaking during the exercise, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), who led one of the validation teams, issued a strong warning to candidates against examination malpractice.
“If you cheat, you will be caught, and when you are caught, that is the end,” he cautioned.
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