The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a new warning to all candidates registering for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE), underscoring that failure to disclose any existing admission could lead to forfeiture of both previous and new offers.

In an official statement released on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, by Dr. Fabian Benjamin, Public Communication Advisor to JAMB, the Board addressed false narratives circulating online suggesting that undergraduate students are barred from registering for the UTME/DE. JAMB clarified that these claims are misleading and do not reflect the Board’s actual policy.

According to the Board, candidates currently enrolled in universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education are eligible to register for the 2026 UTME/DE; however, they must disclose their matriculation or admission status during the registration process. This directive aligns with JAMB’s statutory mandate to prevent multiple concurrent matriculations, which undermines the integrity of the admission system.

JAMB emphasised that it is not an offence for a candidate to register while still enrolled in an institution, but non-disclosure of such status constitutes an offence under its admission regulations. The Board noted that once a candidate secures a fresh admission through the current UTME cycle, their former admission automatically ceases to subsist.“

The law is explicit that no candidate is permitted to hold two admissions concurrently,” the statement said, warning that candidates who fail to declare prior matriculation risk losing both opportunities if detected by the Board’s systems. JAMB’s extensive database and verification mechanisms are designed to detect undisclosed admissions, making transparency crucial for all applicants.

JAMB’s announcement also serves as a corrective response to misinformation spread by some “self-styled education advocates,” which the Board said were aimed at misleading the public for online attention and engagement rather than providing accurate guidance.

The 2026 UTME/DE registration exercise began on January 26, 2026 and will end on February 28, 2026. Prospective candidates are urged to familiarise themselves with all guidelines, including the compulsory disclosure of previous admissions, to avoid pitfalls that could jeopardise their academic prospects.

The Board further explained that disclosure does not mean a candidate is automatically disqualified. Instead, it means that once the candidate secures a fresh admission through the current UTME cycle, any former admission will automatically cease to exist.“

Disclosure simply means that once a candidate secures admission through the latest registration, the former admission automatically ceases to subsist,” JAMB stated.

JAMB also stressed that Nigerian law does not permit any candidate to hold two admissions at the same time, noting that no student is allowed to be matriculated in two institutions concurrently.

Although the Board’s systems are capable of detecting prior matriculation records, candidates who attempt to hide their status risk losing both opportunities entirely.

This warning serves as an important reminder for all 2026 UTME candidates to ensure transparency during registration to avoid complications that could jeopardize their academic future.