The 2026 mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Saturday, March 28, has sparked widespread reactions, with candidates and parents decrying technical glitches, delays, and poor coordination across several centres.
According to Nairametrics, the mock UTME was conducted for 227,896 candidates nationwide.
Multiple accounts shared on social media and by parents and candidates show some centres experienced hours-long delays, while others could not commence the examination at all.
In some locations, including parts of Nasarawa State, candidates scheduled for an 8:00 a.m. exam were still waiting as late as 11:28 a.m., with many left stranded alongside concerned parents.
What they are saying
Reacting on X (formerly Twitter), Alex Onyia, CEO of Educare, said many students were unable to sit for the exam due to technical issues.
- “So many students didn’t write the compulsory JAMB mock exam today because of so many network glitches. Students were left stranded across several states in the country. JAMB please let 2025 not repeat in 2026. The destinies of Nigerian students are at stake,” he wrote.
Another user, @AdeolaL74315288, reported persistent system errors at multiple centres in Lagos.
- “Please, I urge the JAMB authority to look into some CBT centre for the mock exam today… student can not do anything… system saying error all through… I confirmed 2 centres in Ikorodu Lagos,” the user said.
Another user @Akwu_1, frowned at JAMB’s statement that it is testing a new software.
- “The fact that JAMB staff mentioned that they are testing a new software is scary. I hope it isn’t planning to fail again this year?”
An educator, @quwam001, said several students reached out after experiencing disruptions during the exam.
- “Some couldn’t access the exam, others were disconnected mid-session. Students prepared, but technical issues held them back. Hope this is fixed before the main exam,” the post read.
@kayodeakinyemy pointed to delays linked to network issues.
- “If the mock JAMB exams written today is anything to go by, I don’t think the real time voting thing can work in Nigeria. Exams started by after 9am and ended around after 2pm. Exams that was slated for 8am to 12pm. Guess the issue..network.”
Also reacting, @KingsleyAdabhie said logistical challenges prevented his daughter from participating.
- “My daughter missed it cos she was posted to a remote village so far away from Port Harcourt. Worst was she was asked to be there at 6.30am for accreditation, with all the insecurity wahala.”
More details
Beyond social media reactions, reports from some centres also indicate delays in the commencement of the examination.
According to NAN, a centre in Masaka, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, the exam scheduled for 8:00 a.m. had yet to begin as of 11:28 a.m. The delay left candidates and parents stranded for hours despite arriving early.
Parents said they left their homes as early as 5:30 a.m. to meet the scheduled time, only to face prolonged waiting periods.
One parent described the situation as inhumane, noting that many candidates had not eaten before arriving at the centre.
- “The candidates are already exhausted before the examination even begins,” the parent said.
Another parent, Mr. Ubong Akpan, criticised the situation, saying the country was not fully prepared for the system.
- “They are forcing Nigerians into a system we have not fully adapted to. We are not ready for this system,” he said.
Candidates also expressed frustration over the delays and lack of communication.
- “I am highly disappointed. We arrived early as instructed, but we have been waiting for hours without any clear information,” said one candidate.
Another blamed poor preparation at the centre, stating that the situation should not have occurred.
What you should know
Nairametrics earlier reported that a total of 2,243,816 candidates registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination nationwide, with Lagos (321,814), Kaduna (303,498), FCT-Abuja (302,963), and Ogun (137,156) leading the list of states with the highest number of registrants.
The main UTME examination is scheduled to hold between April 16 and April 25, 2026, making the mock exercise a key test of the system ahead of the nationwide exam.
- The board projected N23.8 billion in internally generated revenue for 2026, an increase of N4 billion from its 2025 target, with N6 billion to be remitted to the Federation Account as operating surplus.
- Ahead of the 2026 UTME, JAMB created 1,000 examination centres nationwide, up from fewer than 800 in 2025, to improve access and logistics for candidates.
The board remitted a total of N1,570,671,200 to Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres that participated in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration exercise.
