A press release surfaced on social media, widely distributed, and circulated on WhatsApp via a screenshot, stating that the management of the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) has decided to postpone the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
According to the screenshot, the examination, which was originally scheduled to begin in April 2026, has been rescheduled for August 2026.
VERIFICATION
When WITHIN NIGERIA analysed the trending screenshot, Google Lens revealed that it was first posted on Facebook on April 3, 2026 and has since been deleted.
Further investigation revealed that the aforementioned press release appeared shortly after the 2026 Mock UTME held on March 28, which faced technical disruptions at several Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers.
Furthermore, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued an urgent alert to candidates and the general public about a forged press release circulating online that falsely announces the postponement of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
On Friday, the examination body issued a statement via its verified X platform account emphatically refuting the document’s authenticity and urging Nigerians to disregard the misleading information.
According to JAMB, “Our attention has been drawn to the malicious press release, stating that the 2026 UTME has been postponed. The general public, particularly the candidates, are informed by this notice that the press release is fake and did not emanate from us. Kindly disregard it.”
JAMB has reiterated its call for all prospective candidates to focus on completing their registration by the official deadline and to authenticate any examination-related announcements via the Board’s official website and verified social media platforms before accepting them as credible.
The examination body has not indicated any changes to the current examination schedule and maintains that the 2026 UTME will take place as planned.
Candidates are strongly advised to remain vigilant against such fraudulent schemes and report any suspicious documents to the appropriate authorities.
VERDICT
The claim that JAMB has postponed 2026 UTME is false, misleading and untrue.
