JAMB delists 23 CBT centres, bars one permanently as UTME kicks off April 16

What happened

JAMB has delisted 23 Computer-Based Test centres across 11 states and the FCT after technical failures during the 2026 Mock UTME. Another 89 centres received warnings, and one, Ha-shem Academy in Yaba, Lagos, has been permanently barred from all JAMB examinations.

The board’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed the action in a statement on Friday, April 10. According to Benjamin, the delisted centres failed to meet “expected standards” during the mock exam, which is supposed to be a dry run for both candidates and infrastructure before the real thing.

The affected centres

The 23 delisted centres are spread across Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, and the FCT. Names include Micben Seat of Wisdom Academy in Abia, Bishop Crowther Seminary in Anambra, Derby’s Young ICT Centre in Bayelsa, and several centres in Lagos and Delta states.

Beyond the outright delistings, 89 centres in states including Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Rivers, and Taraba were placed on warning. These centres have minor issues that need fixing before the main UTME kicks off on April 16.

Why this matters for candidates

If you’re registered at one of the delisted centres, JAMB says you’ll be reassigned to a functional one. The board has also tightened its monitoring, requiring all CBT centres to be visible on its surveillance system or face sanctions. Centres that can’t be monitored in real time will not be allowed to operate.

The mock exam exposed problems that could have derailed the actual UTME. Malpractice warnings are also intensifying. JAMB flagged claims circulating on WhatsApp that offer to “upgrade” UTME scores, calling them fraudulent. Candidates caught in such schemes face disqualification and potential prosecution.

With over 1.9 million candidates registered for the 2026 UTME, the stakes are high. JAMB’s zero-tolerance stance on substandard centres is the right move. The question is whether the replacement centres will hold up under exam-day pressure.

Sources: Premium Times, Legit.ng, Technext, Edugist