By Stephen Simon
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has moved the reporting 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.
Under the revised arrangement, candidates taking the first session are expected to arrive at their designated Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres by 7:30 a.m., ahead of the commencement of the examination at 8:30 a.m.
JAMB said the one-hour adjustment followed concerns over the safety and logistical challenges candidates could face travelling to examination centres very early in the morning, particularly those coming from considerable distances.
The board said the decision was one of the outcomes of its 2026 Management and Information Technology Retreat held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, from September 6 to 11.
According to JAMB, the concerns raised by members of the public regarding the previous reporting time were considered during deliberations at the retreat. It said management subsequently concluded that a later arrival time would provide candidates with a safer and more convenient examination experience.
The first UTME session will begin at 8:30 a.m. and run for two hours, ending at 10:30 a.m. JAMB said subsequent sessions would continue according to the established examination schedule.
The board said the adjustment formed part of broader measures agreed at the retreat to strengthen the efficiency, safety, credibility and candidate-friendliness of the UTME.
Participants at the retreat included members of JAMB’s management team, state coordinators, heads of outstation offices and other stakeholders. The board said lessons from previous examinations would guide preparations for the 2027 exercise.
Although the 2027 UTME is still several months away, JAMB said preparations were already underway and that further details on the complete examination timetable and other arrangements would be communicated officially as the exercise approaches.
The board advised candidates and members of the public to take note of the revised 7:30 a.m. reporting time for the first examination session.
