Abuja, Nigeria — The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced a new policy for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), mandating the installation of live CCTV surveillance in all computer-based test (CBT) centres nationwide. This initiative, aimed at curbing exam malpractice, will allow JAMB to monitor exams in real-time from its headquarters in Abuja.
JAMB’s Registrar and CEO, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, announced the policy on Monday, stating that all CBT centres must install HIKVision CCTV equipment to meet the new requirements. Centres that fail to comply will be barred from registering candidates or conducting the examination.
The directive, dubbed ‘No Vision, No Registration, No UTME’, comes in response to the alarming rise in malpractice, with 39,834 candidates having their results withheld in 2025 over suspected misconduct. The policy aims to centralize the oversight of exams, restore credibility to the system, and eliminate issues such as impersonation, question leaks, and collusion.
Oloyede also made it clear that centres failing to meet the surveillance requirements risk financial penalties and the possible invalidation of their registrations. The board has already screened 924 CBT centres, with final accreditation still pending.
The 2026 UTME is expected to see over two million candidates, and the policy is part of JAMB’s ongoing efforts to improve transparency and security in the examination process.
