Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the results of 279 candidates from the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which were previously withheld pending investigation into suspected examination malpractice. The board announced the release in a statement on Thursday, May 21, 2026, adding that the decision followed a painstaking review of cases flagged during and after the conduct of the examination, which was held between April 16 and April 25 across accredited computer‑based test centres nationwide. JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, confirmed that the review process concluded that no prima facie case of malpractice was established against the affected candidates, leading to the release of their scores. At the same time, the board confirmed that some other results had been outrightly cancelled where evidence of cheating was found to be conclusive. The board also clarified that results from centres where its live monitoring team observed suspicious activities, or where adverse reports were received, remain withheld pending further investigation, and that any candidate found culpable after the ongoing review would have his or her result cancelled.
The mass release of results came just a few days after JAMB announced that printing of the 2026 UTME original result slips had not yet been activated, a move that had sparked concern among candidates and parents across the country. The board had explained at the time that the delay was necessary to allow the completion of all outstanding examination processes, including foreign examinations and the preparation of a mop‑up examination for candidates who could not participate in the main UTME through no fault of theirs. JAMB assured candidates that normal access to result slip printing would resume once all pending examinations were concluded, and urged candidates not to panic. The board also stressed that the temporary suspension of printing was unrelated to the withholding of results, which are governed by a separate investigative process.
The 2026 UTME has been marked by heightened vigilance on the part of JAMB, which has intensified its use of live monitoring teams and biometric verification technology to clamp down on examination fraud. At the commencement of the examination period, JAMB had warned that any candidate caught engaging in malpractice would have his or her result withheld and could face prosecution. The board also instituted a policy that prohibited underage candidates from sitting for the examination unless they secured a special waiver, a decision that drew criticism from some parents but which JAMB defended as necessary to maintain academic standards and prevent exploitation of the system. JAMB stated that for the 2026 UTME, a total of approximately two million candidates registered, with thousands of results still being reviewed.
The board also revealed that some of the withheld results were linked to suspicious activities observed in specific computer‑based test centres, including incidents of impersonation, organised cheating syndicates, and the use of technological devices to smuggle answers into the examination halls. In some cases, JAMB’s monitoring team noted irregularities in the pattern of answering times and biometric matches, which triggered automatic flags for manual review. According to JAMB officials, those flagged candidates were placed on a watchlist, and their results were not released until a full investigation had been carried out. In the case of the 279 candidates whose results have now been released, the investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing. JAMB has advised candidates yet to access their results to check their status by sending “UTMERESULT” to either 55019 or 66019 using the same phone number used during registration.
JAMB has not disclosed the number of candidates whose results remain withheld or the names of centres still under investigation, but the board has promised to provide periodic updates as the review process continues. The board has also reiterated that any candidate found to have committed any form of examination malpractice will not only have his or her result cancelled but may also be barred from sitting for the UTME for a specified number of years, depending on the gravity of the offence. JAMB’s registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, had earlier stated that the board was committed to eliminating examination malpractice and that it would spare no effort in ensuring that only candidates who passed through a credible process are admitted into tertiary institutions.
The release of the 279 results will come as a relief to the affected candidates, many of whom had been anxiously waiting for their scores for more than a month. However, the board’s warning that some results may still be cancelled serves as a reminder that JAMB’s integrity is non-negotiable. For the thousands of candidates who sat for the 2026 UTME in good faith, the outcome of the board’s ongoing investigation will determine not only their own futures but also the continued credibility of Nigeria’s only national entrance examination into tertiary education.
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