The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a review of its policy on swapping candidates' registered phone numbers and changing registered email addresses. This change is ahead of the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration exercise. The new policy allows candidates who have lost access to their credentials to update them through a controlled process. The reviewed policy takes effect from Monday, 21 September 2026.
According to JAMB's Acting Director, Public Affairs and Protocols, Dr Fabian Benjamin, the new arrangement will assist candidates who have lost access to their registered phone numbers or email accounts. This concession is particularly important for candidates who are unable to use their previously registered phone numbers for subsequent UTME exercises or whose registered email accounts can no longer be recovered.
The initiative aims to reduce the hardship associated with loss of access to registered credentials and make processes leading to tertiary education admission more seamless. However, the service will be subject to strict authentication procedures aimed at preventing impersonation, fraud, and unauthorized alterations to candidates' records. JAMB emphasized that the SIM swap and/or email change service will be available only once to each candidate.
The SIM swap and/or email change service will be available at JAMB Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers, including Professional Test Centers (PTC), Professional Registration Centers (PRC), and State Offices where applicable. Candidates seeking to use the service are required to provide the new phone number and/or email address, as applicable, as well as a duly executed court affidavit, scanned and ready for upload.
To access the service, candidates will log into their e-Facility profiles using their existing credentials, including their email address, registration number, or profile code. They will then select SIM Swap/Email Change Payment from the menu and pay the prescribed fee before proceeding to a designated JAMB CBT (PTC/PRC) center. Biometric verification will be required before selecting the required service.
The new policy reflects JAMB's commitment to balancing strong data security with candidate-friendly service delivery. The Board aims to ensure that genuine candidates are not unnecessarily disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control. Candidates are advised to use the service strictly for genuine cases and patronize only designated JAMB CBT (PTC/PRC) centers.
The reviewed policy is one of several recent changes aimed at improving the UTME process. Other initiatives include the introduction of a pre-registration app and adjustments to the exam start time. These changes demonstrate JAMB's efforts to enhance the examination experience for candidates.
Key points
- JAMB introduces new policy for SIM swap and email change ahead of 2027 UTME registration
- The service will be available only once to each candidate at designated JAMB CBT centers
- The new policy aims to balance data security with candidate-friendly service delivery
