If you sat the 2026 mock UTME on Saturday, you already know that the day did not go as planned at many centres. JAMB has now confirmed that 227,896 candidates were registered for the exercise nationwide, but for a significant number of those candidates, the experience raised more questions than it answered.
Reports coming in from multiple locations described a familiar set of problems: system failures, server downtime, biometric verification errors, poor internet connectivity and power outages. At several centres, computers shut down or froze during the examination itself, forcing candidates to sit and wait with no timeline for resolution. “We got there before 7 a.m., but nothing started until almost noon,” one parent said, a sentiment that was echoed across platforms and locations.
The two session structure, with the first sitting scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and the second from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., added further pressure at venues that were already struggling with overcrowding and poor coordination. Many candidates had been asked to arrive as early as 6:30 a.m., a requirement that drew sharp criticism on X, particularly from parents concerned about the safety of students travelling long distances before dawn. Education expert Alex Onyia noted that a substantial number of candidates could not sit the examination at all due to the scale of disruptions.
A handful of centres in Abuja reportedly completed their sessions without serious incident, but they appear to have been the exception rather than the rule.
The mock UTME exists precisely to catch problems like these before the main examination. Introduced by JAMB Registrar Professor Is haq Oloyede in 2017, it is designed to test the board’s systems under real conditions and give candidates a low stakes environment to prepare. Saturday’s results suggest there is meaningful work to be done on the infrastructure side before the main UTME opens on 16 April 2026.
If you experienced disruptions at your centre and were unable to complete the examination, document what happened and check the JAMB website and official channels for any guidance the board issues in the coming days. The main examination is five weeks away. Use whatever preparation time remains.
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