By Felix Khanoba
The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began on Thursday, April 16, across Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in Abuja, with candidates demonstrating orderly conduct and officials reporting efficient coordination in the early sessions.
At both the Peter Harvard CBT Centre and Rosa Mystica Academy CBT Centre in Byazhin, Kubwa, the exercise commenced without disruption, reflecting improved preparedness and system readiness.
The Administrator of the Peter Harvard CBT Centre, Peter Agunloye, said the first session progressed without technical issues, describing the exercise as encouraging.
He said: “The experience has been thrilling. I’m impressed with the turnout and the way our systems are working. Everything is working functionally.
“You can see that students are very orderly. All the personnel are on the ground, and the process is moving smoothly. There is no cause for alarm.”
Agunloye explained that the centre, which just joined the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s network of accredited CBT centres, was committed to supporting the growing number of candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions.
“The population is doubling every time. We understand the pressure on JAMB, so we decided to come in and play our own part because we know we have the capacity.”
He noted that the centre had installed backup systems and strengthened its network infrastructure to avoid the technical failures that had led to the suspension of some centres in the past.
“We ensure we have backup systems and that all our systems are functional. The networking system is optimal, and we are prepared to avoid any challenges.”
Agunloye also said strict screening was carried out at the gate to prevent candidates from entering the hall with prohibited items, as he disclosed that almost all candidates scheduled for the first session were present, with only two encountering biometric verification difficulties.
“We check their registration numbers and examination slips and educate them about items they are not allowed to bring into the centre.
“I want to believe that about 99 per cent of the candidates are here. It is just two people who have challenges with their biometric capture.”
A JAMB ad-hoc supervisor at the Peter Harvard CBT centre, Mary Ambrose, also said the verification exercise had been smooth overall, with only two candidates initially unable to complete biometric capture.
“For the first session, we have only two unverified candidates. Their hands are slippery, so the machine could not capture their fingerprints, but the issue has been reported to the headquarters,” she said.
At the Rosa Mystica Academy CBT Centre, officials similarly reported a hitch-free start to the examination.
Biometric verification officer Peter Idu said 236 out of the 250 candidates scheduled for the 8:30 a.m. session were successfully screened.
“The biometric session for this morning’s exam went well. There was no issue,” he said.
The centre’s supervisor, Adeosun Olawola, confirmed that candidate verification began as early as 6:30 a.m., allowing the examination to start exactly on schedule, adding that early sensitisation and strict entry checks helped prevent misconduct.
The 2026 UTME, which runs from April 16 to April 22 across 966 accredited centres nationwide, is expected to have over 2.2 million candidates participating.
