JAMB Debunks UTME Fee Hike Rumours, Insists Registration Costs Remain Unchanged Since 2019

|By Adejumo Adekunle

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has firmly denied reports alleging an increase in the cost of registering for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE).

In a statement issued on Friday, the Board’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, dismissed the claims as false and misleading, stressing that the registration fees remain exactly as previously approved.

JAMB maintained that candidates registering for the UTME without mock examinations will continue to pay N7,200, while those opting for the mock exam will pay N8,700. Direct Entry applicants, the Board clarified, are required to pay N5,700.

The examination body emphasized that the current fee structure has remained intact since 2019, despite mounting operational expenses. It recalled that in 2018, the Federal Executive Council approved a downward review of the UTME application fee from N5,000 to N3,500, a decision that took effect during the 2019 registration exercise.

According to the Board, since that government-approved reduction, no upward adjustment has been made to the registration charges. JAMB insisted that any report suggesting a hike is entirely unfounded and urged the public to disregard such misinformation.

The clarification comes amid growing speculation on social media regarding a possible increase in examination costs, a claim the Board says lacks any official backing.