The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has opened its 2026 mop-up Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination for candidates who missed the main test, while warning that there will be no additional opportunity after the exercise.
For many candidates, the mop-up exam represents the final chance to secure a UTME score for admission into tertiary institutions this year.
The board explained that the mop-up exercise is meant for candidates who were unable to sit for the main examination due to technical issues, biometric challenges, or other verified reasons during the earlier UTME sessions.
JAMB also stressed that once the mop-up examination is concluded, no further UTME will be organised for the 2026 admission cycle.
“There will be no further opportunity after the mop-up examination,” the board stated.
According to the announcement, affected candidates are expected to print their examination slips and confirm their centres ahead of the scheduled exam date.
The mop-up UTME is part of JAMB’s annual examination process, which is used to determine admission placement into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria.
In recent years, the board has maintained that the mop-up exam is strictly a final-stage intervention, not a repeat cycle, to ensure that all eligible candidates have one last opportunity within the same admission window.
Education stakeholders say the arrangement helps reduce delays in the admission calendar, although it also places pressure on candidates to avoid missing scheduled exams.
Candidates have been advised to strictly follow instructions, arrive early at their centres, and avoid actions that could lead to disqualification.
The board has continued to rely on computer-based testing systems nationwide for the UTME, with all results processed centrally after each exercise.
With the mop-up now opened, attention shifts to preparations for the final stage of the 2026 UTME cycle, after which admission processing will fully begin across institutions.
For candidates involved, the message is clear: this is the last opportunity for the year.
