Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria- The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has moved the arrival time for candidates sitting the first session of the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., citing concerns over candidate safety and early-morning travel.
Under the revised schedule, candidates for the first examination session are expected to arrive at their designated Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres by 7:30 a.m., while the examination will run from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
According to the board on Monday, the adjustment was announced following deliberations at JAMB’s 2026 Management and IT Retreat held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, from September 6 to 11.
JAMB said the later arrival time is expected to improve the safety and convenience of candidates while potentially reducing absenteeism linked to difficulties associated with the previous schedule.
Other examination sessions will continue to follow the Board’s established scheduling arrangements.
The revised timing was among the outcomes of the retreat, which brought together JAMB management, state coordinators, heads of outstation offices and other stakeholders.
Participants reviewed issues affecting the conduct of the Board’s examinations and considered measures to improve efficiency, safety, credibility and the overall candidate experience.
JAMB said the need for such measures has become more important as the scale and complexity of the UTME continue to increase.
Although the 2027 UTME is still months away, the Board said preparations have already commenced.
It said lessons from previous examinations and decisions reached at the retreat would guide preparations for a more efficient and candidate-friendly exercise.
Candidates and the general public have been advised to take note of the revised first-session timing and await further official communication on the complete 2027 UTME timetable and other examination arrangements.
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 
Oluwatobi Adu 