The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the remittance of ₦1,570,671,200 to Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Nigeria for their participation in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration exercise.
The disclosure was contained in the Board’s latest bulletin signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin.
According to the Board, the payment represents the ₦700 registration charge collected on behalf of accredited CBT centres from candidates during the UTME registration process.
“The Board has remitted a total sum of ₦1,570,671,200 to the CBT centres that participated in this year Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration exercise,” the statement said.
JAMB explained that the Board collects the ₦700 registration charge together with the UTME ePIN fee paid by candidates and remits the money directly to accredited CBT centres on a weekly basis.
The Board noted that the arrangement was introduced to prevent the exploitation of candidates and eliminate the need for multiple payments during the registration process.
Under the system, candidates who purchase the UTME ePIN are not required to make separate payments at CBT centres and can register at any accredited centre of their choice nationwide.
JAMB added that the initiative has significantly reduced cases of unauthorised charges by some CBT centres while strengthening the adoption of a cashless registration system, particularly among privately owned facilities.
To further enforce compliance among centres, the Board introduced a policy known as “No View, No Pay.”
Under the policy, payments are only made to CBT centres after verification that the candidates they registered are valid and visible in the Board’s registration system.
The Board said the measure was designed to curb registration infractions and ensure transparency in the registration process.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,243,816 candidates have registered for the 2026 UTME nationwide, with Lagos State (321,814), Kaduna State (303,498), Federal Capital Territory (302,963), and Ogun State (137,156) recording the highest number of registrants.
Ahead of the examination scheduled to commence next month, JAMB has also increased the number of examination centres nationwide to 1,000, up from fewer than 800 centres in 2025, to improve access and logistics for candidates.
In addition, the Board projected ₦23.8 billion in internally generated revenue for 2026, representing an increase of ₦4 billion from its 2025 target. Out of the projected revenue, ₦6 billion will be remitted to the Federation Account as operating surplus.
JAMB said the reforms are part of efforts to enhance transparency, efficiency and accountability in the UTME registration and examination process.
