The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the start of the 2026 Direct Entry (DE) registration exercise, setting a clear timeline for prospective applicants seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions through this channel.
According to an official statement posted on JAMB’s verified X account on Monday, the sale of application documents for the 2026 Direct Entry programme commenced on March 2, 2026, and will conclude on April 25, 2026. The board explicitly stated that the registration service is accessible only at its physically located offices across Nigeria.
The statement read: “2026 Direct Entry Registration: This is to inform the prospective DE applicants that sale of application document has commenced today Monday, 2nd March 2026 and will end by Saturday, 25th April 2026. Please, note that this service can be accessed only at our offices nationwide.”
Direct Entry is a specialised admission process for candidates with advanced-level qualifications, such as National Diplomas (ND), National Certificate of Education (NCE), or other equivalent certifications, allowing them to bypass the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and gain direct entry into the second or third year of a university degree programme. JAMB’s insistence on office-only registration is a long-standing measure aimed at curbing fraud, ensuring document authenticity, and providing direct assistance to applicants.
For international and diverse audiences, this procedure underscores JAMB’s role as the central regulatory body for all tertiary institution admissions in Nigeria, a country with one of Africa’s largest higher education systems. The strict in-person requirement, while potentially challenging for some, is designed to maintain the integrity of the application process.
Applicants are advised to take note of the strict deadline of April 25, 2026. Late registrations will not be accommodated. Prospective candidates should visit any accredited JAMB office nationwide with their necessary credentials, including O’Level results and advanced-level qualification certificates, to complete the process. For the most current and detailed information, applicants must rely solely on official JAMB communication channels to avoid misinformation from unofficial sources. This registration window marks a critical step for thousands seeking to advance their academic careers within Nigeria’s university system.
