The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has shifted the arrival time for candidates sitting for the first session of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from 6:30 a.m to 7 a.m.

In a post on X on Monday, JAMB stated that candidates sitting for the first session are to arrive at their respective centres by 7:00 a.m. for the examination, which is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 a.m.

The exam body wrote, “Attention 2026 UTME Candidates: This is to notify you of a slight adjustment to the arrival scheduled time, particularly for the first session, which is now 7:00 am as against the earlier published 6:30 am, while the scheduled start time for the session is now 8:30 am and end time 10:30 am. Please note that you need not reprint your slip. Thank you.”

According to the timetable attached to the post, JAMB’s computer-based test centres nationwide will have four sessions scheduled from Monday to Friday, starting from April 16 to 25, 2026.

The update by the exam body followed dissatisfaction among parents, guardians and schools over the initial 6:30 a.m. timing, which they said would require students to leave their homes, regardless of distance, as early as 4:00 a.m., amid rising insecurity nationwide.