The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a suite of technology-driven reforms ahead of the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), including a mobile pre-registration application, stricter biometric verification, and an automated mechanism to block invalid subject combinations.
​JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, disclosed the initiatives in Abuja on Saturday, November 14, 2026, during a press briefing held around 10:30 a.m. at the MKO Abiola National Stadium shortly after a five-kilometre fitness walk organised for the board’s staff.
According to Aina, the reforms are designed to streamline the registration process, eliminate avoidable candidate errors, and curb examination malpractice across the country.
​Central to the new framework is the rollout of the National Digital Pre-Registration App (NDPA), a mobile application that enables prospective candidates to prepare for registration from the comfort of their homes before visiting an accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre.
Engineered to operate both online and offline, the platform allows applicants to research tertiary institutions, verify their National Identification Number (NIN) biodata, review specific admission requirements, and organize their institutional and course preferences ahead of final biometric capturing.
​To further protect applicants from forfeiting admission due to administrative oversights, the board is deploying an automated screening system that will detect and block candidates from selecting subject combinations that do not align with the prescribed requirements for their chosen courses.
Complementing this measure at examination venues will be heightened biometric verification protocols, incorporating upgraded identity authentication tools aimed at eliminating impersonation and other forms of examination irregularities.
​Speaking with journalists at the stadium, Professor Aina emphasized that the innovations reflect the board’s commitment to making registration more accessible and error-free for candidates nationwide.
“There are a lot of innovations that are coming up. Now we are rolling out what we are calling a pre-registration application. It’s a mobile application that allows you, from the comfort of your own home, to prepare ahead of visiting a registration centre,” he stated.
​While JAMB has yet to announce the official commencement date for the 2027 registration exercise, the Federal Ministry of Education has proposed holding the 2027 UTME between March 15 and March 25, 2027, as part of broader efforts to harmonize national examination calendars.
Ahead of the exercise, the board has advised prospective candidates to ensure their National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) records are accurate, maintain active personal email addresses and phone numbers, and consult the official JAMB Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System (IBASS) rather than relying on unverified third-party agents.
