The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has admitted that technical problems affected the 2026 Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination held on Saturday.
In a statement released on Monday, JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin said the mock exam was organised to test the board’s readiness for the main UTME coming up in April.
However, many candidates across the country experienced difficulties during the exercise. Reports showed that several students were delayed at their centres due to server failures, power outages, and late start times. Some candidates who arrived as early as 6 a.m. had to wait for hours before they could begin.
At some centres, the situation was more serious. In Lagos, a candidate was only able to answer four questions before the system stopped working. The disruption forced some centres to send students home without completing the test.
JAMB said the mock examination is important because it helps candidates get used to the computer-based test system and allows the board to identify and fix possible problems ahead of the main exam.
The board also explained that the 2026 mock included two sessions to give candidates extra practice time.
Despite the challenges, JAMB described the exercise as largely successful and promised to carry out a full review. It added that centres that performed poorly may be removed from future examinations.
The board encouraged candidates to learn from the experience as preparations continue for the main UTME, which is scheduled to begin on April 16, 2026.