The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has adjusted the arrival time for candidates sitting the first session of the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), moving it from 6:30am to 7:30am.
Under the new arrangement, candidates scheduled for the first session are expected to arrive at their designated Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres by 7:30am. The examination will commence at 8:30am and end at 10:30am.
JAMB said the adjustment was made to address safety and logistical concerns associated with very early-morning movements, particularly for candidates travelling long distances to their examination centres.
The Board’s spokesperson and Acting Director, Public Affairs and Protocols, Dr Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
Benjamin said the decision followed deliberations at JAMB’s 2026 Management and Information Technology Retreat held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, from September 6 to 11, 2026.
He said concerns raised by members of the public over the implications of the previous early arrival time were carefully considered during the retreat.
According to Benjamin, the new schedule was designed to improve candidates’ safety and convenience while reducing the difficulties associated with travelling before dawn.
He added that the adjustment could also reduce the number of candidates who might miss their examinations due to challenges with the earlier schedule.
“ The adjustment is aimed at addressing concerns over the safety and logistical challenges associated with very early-morning movement by candidates, particularly those travelling considerable distances to their designated Computer-Based Test centres,” Benjamin said.
JAMB clarified that while the first session would now have an arrival time of 7:30am, other examination sessions would continue to operate according to the Board’s established schedule.
The Board said the adjustment was among the outcomes of deliberations at the 2026 Management and IT Retreat, which brought together members of its management, state coordinators, heads of outstation offices and other relevant stakeholders.
