- The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has projected N23.8 billion in internally generated revenue for 2026, which is up by N4bn from its 2025 target
- JAMB announced that it plans to remit N6bn to the Federation Account as operating surplus
- The board also expanded UTME centres to 1,000 nationwide, from fewer than 800 in 2025
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that it expects to generate N23.8 billion in internally generated revenue (IGR) in the 2026 fiscal year, an increase of about N4 billion compared with its 2025 target.
The projection was presented on Wednesday, February 25, to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund during JAMB’s defence of its 2026 budget estimates.
The briefing was delivered by Dr. Muftau Bello, a director in the office of the Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede.
JAMB told lawmakers it plans to remit N6 billion from the projected revenue to the Federation Account as operating surplus.
“A total of N30.6bn budget profile is proposed by JAMB in 2026, out of which N23.8bn is to be generated internally, and N6 billion remitted into the Federation Account as operating surplus for the year,” Bello told lawmakers.
On its 2025 results, the board reported that it generated N18.5 billion as IGR and paid N4 billion into the Federation Account.
Ahead of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), JAMB also announced an expansion of computer-based test (CBT) centres across the country.
The board said it has created 1,000 examination centres nationwide, up from fewer than 800 used in 2025, to improve access and reduce logistical pressure for candidates.
The Senate committee, chaired by Muntari Dandutse, praised the board’s revenue performance and the scale-up of UTME centres. Still, Senator Yohanna Amos (Adamawa North) asked JAMB to consider cutting the UTME fee further from the current N3,500.
JAMB responded that the fee used to be N5,000 before it was reduced to N3,500 under the current registrar.
TheRadar had earlier reported that as at February 17, 2026, more than 1.5 million candidates had completed registration.
It said the 2026 UTME will run nationwide from April 16 to April 25, 2026. While registration capacity stands at 100,000 candidates per day, the board said centres are operating at roughly 30% capacity, suggesting many eligible candidates are yet to register.
JAMB also maintained that it will not extend the registration deadline, explaining that the UTME timetable is part of a coordinated national examination calendar agreed by examination bodies in Nigeria.
Separately, as part of stricter compliance measures for the 2026 registration cycle, the board said accredited CBT centres must use Microsoft Camera systems to strengthen identity checks and reduce impersonation and “image-blending” malpractice recorded in previous examinations.