JAMB Declares Viral 2026 UTME Postponement Notice Fake; Confirms Official Examination Dates Remain Unchanged
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially debunked a viral press release claiming that the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has been postponed.
In a clear, high-priority statement released today, Sunday, April 5, the Board described the circulating notice as “malicious” and “fake,” warning candidates and the public to ignore the misinformation in its entirety.
The Origin of the Hoax: April Fools’ Day Exploitation
The fake report, which spread rapidly across WhatsApp and Facebook, appears to have originated from a poorly conceived April Fools’ Day prank. Scammers and mischief-makers backdated the “press release” to April 1st to deceive students.
JAMB has expressed concern that such “noise” is intentionally designed to distract candidates during their final countdown to the examinations. The Board clarified that no such document emanated from their office and that there are no plans to move the dates.
Official 2026 Examination Schedule
To ensure there is no further confusion, JAMB has reaffirmed the original timetable. All candidates are expected to adhere to the following dates:
Main UTME Commencement: Thursday, April 16, 2026.
Examination Conclusion: Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Printing of Exam Slips: The window for printing official examination slips—which contain specific centers, dates, and times—will open between April 9 and April 10, 2026.
Recent Developments and Center Delisting
The Board’s firm stance comes on the heels of the Mock UTME held on March 28. While the mock was largely successful, JAMB has already delisted several CBT centers across the country due to technical failures and non-compliance with standards. Candidates who registered at these affected centers are advised to remain calm and wait for their redistributed center assignments, which will be reflected on their printed slips next week…READ MORE
Warning to Candidates
JAMB has warned the public against “score upgrade” scammers who often capitalize on the panic caused by fake news.
“The general public, particularly the candidates, are by this notice informed that the press release is fake and did not emanate from us. Kindly disregard it,” the Board’s official statement read.
Candidates are strongly advised to only trust information from the official JAMB website or their verified social media handle, @JAMBHQ. With only 11 days remaining until the national exercise begins, the message is clear: Stay sharp, ignore the rumors, and focus on your preparations.