Report centres charging above N8,700 UTME fee, JAMB tells candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has urged candidates who may have paid above the approved registration fees for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination to report such centres with credible evidence. The board said any Computer-Based Test centre found overcharging or engaging in sharp practices would face sanctions. JAMB made this known in a statement issued on Friday by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, citing reports in some quarters that it had increased its registration fees. The board said the approved fees remain N7,200 for UTME only (without mock), N8,700 for UTME with mock, and N5,700 for Direct Entry. “The Board appeals to any candidate who has paid more than the officially approved fees to promptly report such centres with credible evidence. “Such reports will enable the Board to investigate and take immediate disciplinary action against any erring centre found to be overcharging or engaging in sharp practices. “For the avoidance of doubt, the approved registration fees remain as follows: Direct Entry (DE): ?5,700; UTME Only (without Mock): ?7,200; UTME with Mock: ?8,700”, the statement partly read. The sale of e-PINs for the 2026 UTME ended on Thursday, while registration at accredited Computer-Based Test centres for candidates who had already purchased their e-PINs will end on Saturday, February 28. As of February 17, JAMB disclosed that over 1.5 million candidates had registered nationwide. JAMB, in Friday’s statement, maintained that its fees had remained unchanged since 2019. While citing rising operational costs, JAMB said it had retained the same fee structure since 2018, when the Federal Executive Council approved a reduction in the UTME application fee from N5,000 to N3,500, effective from the 2019 registration exercise. The board gave a breakdown of the fees as follows: Application Fee – ?3,500; Reading Text – ?1,000; CBT Centre Registration Service Charge – ?700; CBT Centre UTME Service Charge – ?1,500; Bank Charges – ?500; CBT Mock-UTME Centre Charge – ?1,500. JAMB urged parents and candidates to be wary of individuals, agents, and centres out to mislead or exploit them into paying above its officially approved registration fees. The statement further read, “The attention of the Board has been drawn to a publication insinuating that the Board has increased its registration fees. The Board wishes to state categorically that this claim is false, misleading and entirely unfounded. “The Board therefore urges members of the public, particularly prospective candidates and their parents or guardians, to disregard the publication and rely only on official information released through the Board’s verified platforms and advertisements. “Candidates are strongly advised to carefully read the Board’s official advertisement. This will enable them to avoid being misled or exploited by dishonest individuals or centres.”