The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a postponement of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration, which was originally scheduled to begin today, January 31, 2025. The new registration start date is now Monday, February 3, 2025.
Reason for the Postponement
According to an official statement from JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the postponement was necessary to allow the Board to make critical adjustments to its registration system. The main reasons cited include:
- The suspension of certain law programs at some universities, as submitted by the Council for Legal Education. JAMB needs time to update its registration database to reflect these changes.
- The discovery of fraudulent CBT centres that gained approval using deceptive methods. JAMB is conducting further scrutiny to disapprove such centres and ensure only legitimate registration centres remain operational.
JAMB acknowledged the inconvenience this may cause candidates and other stakeholders and apologized for the last-minute change. The Board assured that the additional time will help ensure a smooth and transparent registration process.
Candidates React with Frustration
The sudden announcement has sparked widespread frustration among candidates, parents, and guardians, with many taking to social media to express their concerns.
Twitter user @YunusaEyan criticized the impromptu nature of the postponement, stating, “Even though the reasons are understandable, the postponement is impromptu. Many candidates have already traveled to centers. Given the economic situation, this is very challenging.”
Another user, @martineba00, expressed disappointment over the financial burden caused by the delay, writing, “Why are you guys just like this? You’ve made my siblings waste money we could have used for better things just for transport because they wanted to register for JAMB, and now you’re postponing again. Fix up!”
Others, like @hesemmanuel01, were outraged by the lack of prior communication, stating, “Why didn’t you announce this earlier? You just made me waste my money and time going to your office.”
Key Registration Dates (Updated)
- New UTME Registration Start Date: Monday, February 3, 2025
- Registration Deadline: Wednesday, March 5, 2025
- Direct Entry (DE) Registration: Monday, March 10 – April 7, 2025
- Mock-UTME Exam Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
- Main UTME Exam Dates: Friday, April 25 – May 5, 2025
JAMB’s Assurance to Candidates
Despite the backlash, JAMB maintains that the delay is in the best interest of candidates to ensure an error-free registration process. Candidates are strongly advised to register only at JAMB-accredited CBT centres to avoid fraudulent operators.
For further updates, candidates can visit the official JAMB website or follow JAMB’s official social media channels.