The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it will soon reopen its bio-data correction portal, allowing candidates to make changes to eligible personal details, while explaining the reasons behind complaints of multiple payment deductions and difficulties accessing some of its online services.

The Board’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this during the monthly dialogue of the Education Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN), themed “2026 JAMB Admission Policy Meeting Review and JAMB Scorecard: A Conversation with the Registrar.” He represented the Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, a professor of Islamic Studies, who was unavoidably absent due to an official assignment outside the country.

During the interactive session, Mr Benjamin addressed a wide range of issues, including JAMB’s finances, examination fees, the validity of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results, admission benchmarks, computer-based testing (CBT), examination malpractice and other matters relating to tertiary admissions in Nigeria.

Responding to questions on candidates’ requests for corrections to their records, Mr Benjamin disclosed that the portal for bio-data correction would reopen soon.

He explained, however, that certain details, including a candidate’s name and date of birth, cannot be altered after registration.

He added that other information, such as a candidate’s local government of origin, cannot be changed after admission has been offered.

Mr Benjamin also clarified that the portal for change of institution remains open by default and is only closed at the request of institutions that have concluded their admission processes.

Multiple payment deductions and portal issues

Addressing complaints about difficulties in uploading documents, printing original results and multiple deductions during payments, Mr Benjamin explained that the result-checking platform processes payments automatically through USSD codes.

According to him, repeated deductions may occur where candidates repeatedly initiate transactions after entering incorrect details.

He clarified, however, that candidates are not charged repeatedly for printing their original results, as they are allowed to print their results multiple times within a specified period after making the required payment.

Mr Benjamin apologised to candidates who experienced difficulties accessing JAMB’s online services, explaining that the Board had recently carried out system upgrades, which temporarily affected service delivery.

He assured candidates that the Board remained committed to improving its digital services to ensure a smoother registration and admission process.

Why EWAN launched the monthly dialogue series

In his opening remark, the chairman of EWAN, Mojeed Alabi, said journalism goes beyond reporting events and informing the public, stressing that the media also has a responsibility to set the public agenda and convene conversations on issues of national importance.

According to him, EWAN is leveraging that convening power to promote informed public discourse and advocacy on education issues.

Mr Alabi said the association invited the Registrar of JAMB to provide a scorecard of his 10-year tenure and to respond to questions from journalists and other stakeholders on issues surrounding the Board’s operations and the ongoing 2026 admission process.

“We believe journalism is not just about reporting the news. Journalists also have a responsibility to set the agenda and convene conversations that serve the public interest. That is the power of the media that we have decided to deploy for advocacy,” he said.

He added that the monthly dialogue series was designed to provide a platform for engagement between public officials and stakeholders, allowing Nigerians to seek clarification on policies, programmes and issues affecting the education sector.