Members of the House Committee on Education have raised concerns over technical challenges affecting the ongoing 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), even as they commended improvements in the overall conduct of the exercise.
During an oversight visit to selected Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, the lawmakers noted that more than two million candidates are participating in this year’s examination nationwide.
The House committee chairman, Oboku Abonsizibe Oforji acknowledged progress in areas such as security and coordination across many centers but expressed concern over recurring technical glitches observed in some locations, including the Good Success Centre in Abuja.
According to Oboku while occasional technical faults are expected in digital systems, repeated disruptions during examinations could negatively impact candidates’ performance and overall experience.
The chairman emphasized that such issues must be addressed proactively before the commencement of examinations to avoid unnecessary stress for students.
Oboku said that the committee has directed JAMB to take immediate and definitive action to resolve the challenges and ensure that all CBT centres operate efficiently.
“As part of our oversight responsibility, we will thoroughly review JAMB’s activities to ensure these lapses do not recur,” a member of the delegation said.
The lawmakers also highlighted the importance of the UTME as a critical pathway to tertiary education in Nigeria, noting the participation of diverse candidates, including working professionals such as military personnel seeking to advance their education.
They stressed that no candidate should be subjected to hardship or denied the opportunity to sit for the examination due to technical failures, especially after traveling long distances to examination centres.
The committee reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with JAMB to improve the examination process and ensure fairness, efficiency, and credibility in future exercises.
