Nigeria Schedules JAMB Mop-Up Exam After Biometric Verification Issues

Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has opened notification-slip printing for candidates scheduled to participate in the 2026 mop-up Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, which is set for June 13.

The mop-up exam covers candidates affected by technical disruptions, examination infractions, and biometric verification issues during the main UTME window. Local reports say eligible candidates can now print updated examination slips showing their examination center, date, and reporting details.

JAMB uses biometric verification to confirm candidate identities and prevent impersonation during the national university entrance testing process. Candidates who completed registration and biometric checks but could not sit for or complete the original exam are among those expected to be covered by the mop-up exercise.

The issue illustrates the operational demands of large-scale biometric identity systems in education. Nigeria has previously used biometrics to verify students in university entrance exams, and the approach has become part of wider efforts to reduce exam fraud and strengthen trust in admissions processes.

Biometric identity systems are also being extended into other parts of Nigeria’s education sector. The government recently launched biometric student ID cards to support education loan access, connecting student identity verification to financial services and public benefit delivery.

For JAMB, the mop-up process is a failure-recovery mechanism for candidates whose original testing experience was disrupted. The board has described the exercise as the final opportunity for eligible candidates to participate in the 2026 UTME cycle, making accurate identity matching and clear candidate notification central to the process.

Large exam systems depend on biometric enrollment, device availability, network reliability, and consistent procedures across test centers. When one of those elements fails, administrators need a way to distinguish affected legitimate candidates from attempts to re-enter the process improperly.

The June 13 exam will test how JAMB manages that recovery phase. Candidates must present updated notification slips and go through identity checks at assigned centers, while administrators must reconcile earlier biometric records with the new attendance process.

JAMB conducts the UTME annually for more than 1.8 million candidates seeking admission to Nigerian universities and polytechnics. The board has progressively added biometric checks to reduce impersonation, with fingerprint verification used at registration and again at the point of entry to each examination hall.

Sources: Daily Report Nigeria, Punch

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By the ID Tech Editorial Team