Jamb Registration: How to Register Jamb: Alright, let’s talk about JAMB registration. This is your first big step towards getting into a university, polytechnic, or college of education here in Nigeria. It might sound complicated, but don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it slowly, step-by-step, like I’m explaining it to my younger brother or sister. Forget all the fancy terms, we’ll keep it simple.
Jamb Registration: How to Register Jamb
First things first, you absolutely cannot register for JAMB without something called your NIN. That stands for National Identification Number. It’s that 11-digit number you got when you registered for your National ID card. If you haven’t got one yet, you must go to any NIMC (National Identity Management Commission) office near you and register. Take your birth certificate or a valid ID like a voter’s card. Get that sorted before you even think about JAMB. They won’t let you register without it. Seriously, this is step zero.
Okay, got your NIN? Great. Now, you need a phone number that is yours. Not your mum’s, not your friend’s – yours. This number is super important because JAMB will send all your codes and updates to it. Make sure it’s a number you use regularly and won’t lose access to anytime soon. Also, set up an email address if you don’t have one. A Gmail account is fine. Make it something simple you can remember, like yourname.jamb2025@gmail.com. Write down the password somewhere safe!
Create Jamb Registration Profile
Now, let’s create your JAMB Profile. Grab the phone with your number. You’re going to send an SMS. Type exactly this: NIN followed by a space, then your 11-digit NIN number. Send this to either 55019 or 66019. For example, if your NIN is 00123456789, you text: NIN 00123456789 to 55019. Send it.
You should get a reply almost immediately. This reply is crucial! It will contain two important things: your 10-character JAMB Profile Code (it’ll look like a mix of letters and numbers, like Ab1Cd2Ef3G) and your JAMB Registration Number (which usually starts with the year, like 20257654321). WRITE THESE DOWN IMMEDIATELY on paper and also save the SMS. Do not lose these! This Profile Code is your key to the next steps.
Jamb Registration Payment
Next up, you need to pay for JAMB. The fee for the UTME (that’s the main exam) is ₦6,200 (as of 2025, always confirm the latest fee on the official JAMB website, jamb.gov.ng, closer to your registration time). You pay for an e-PIN. Think of this e-PIN as a special code you buy that unlocks your registration. There are a few ways to get it:
- Go to a Bank: Walk into banks like First Bank, Zenith Bank, UBA, or other banks JAMB lists. Tell the teller you want to buy a JAMB e-PIN. You’ll give them your Profile Code you just got. Pay the ₦6,200. They’ll process it and give you a receipt with the 19-digit e-PIN on it. It might look like
1234-5678-9012-3456-789. Keep this receipt safe! You might also get the e-PIN sent to your phone via SMS. - Pay Online: Go to the official JAMB portal: efacility.jamb.gov.ng. Look for the option to “Purchase UTME/DE Pin” or similar. Enter your Profile Code. Then, you can pay online using your debit card (Mastercard or Visa) or sometimes through USSD codes (
*565*6*...– the site will guide you). Once payment is successful, your e-PIN will be displayed on the screen and sent to your phone via SMS. Write it down! - POS at Accredited CBT Centres: Some approved Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres where you’ll finish registration also have POS machines. You can pay there directly and get your e-PIN.
Important Warning: Only pay the official fee (₦6,200 for UTME). Some centres or agents might try to charge you more – that’s a scam! Report them. Also, only use official channels – banks, the JAMB portal, or JAMB-approved centres. Don’t buy e-PINs from roadside vendors or people messaging you on WhatsApp/SMS claiming to sell them.
Alright, you’ve got your NIN, your Profile Code, and your e-PIN. Now comes the part where you actually complete the registration. You must go to an accredited JAMB CBT centre. You cannot do this final step at home. Search online for “JAMB accredited CBT centres near me” or ask your school. Make sure the centre has the official JAMB logo displayed.
When you go to the CBT centre, take these things with you:
- Your NIN slip (the paper from NIMC) – original and maybe a photocopy.
- The Profile Code and e-PIN you wrote down.
- Your phone (with the SMS containing the codes, just in case).
- A recent passport photograph on a pure white background. No glasses, no headgear (unless for religious reasons, but it must not cover your face). Make sure you have a soft copy (digital file) saved on a USB drive or your phone, and a printed copy. The centre staff will upload it.
- Details of your O’Level results (WAEC, NECO, NABTEB). If you’ve taken them, bring your certificate or statement of result. Know your exam number and year. If you’re still awaiting results, that’s okay, you’ll indicate that.
Jamb Registration at the Centre
At the centre, here’s what will happen:
- Biometric Capture: This is the most important part! They will take your fingerprints (all ten fingers) and take a live photograph of you right there. They might ask you to remove glasses or adjust your headgear. This is to confirm it’s really you registering and really you writing the exam. If the machine has trouble reading your fingerprints (maybe they are faint), don’t panic, but make sure they get a good capture. No biometrics, no exam!
- Data Entry: A staff member will sit you down at a computer. They will enter all your details:
- Your full name (exactly as it appears on your NIN slip).
- Your date of birth (again, must match your NIN).
- Your gender, state of origin, Local Government Area (LGA).
- Your O’Level subjects and grades (or mark “Awaiting Result”).
- Your choice of institutions: This is huge! You get to pick four (4) institutions. This could be universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, or a mix. Think carefully! Your first choice is the one you want most. The order matters! Research courses offered by each school beforehand. You can’t easily change this later without paying extra.
- Your course of study: What do you want to study? Medicine? Law? Engineering? Accounting? Choose carefully. Make sure your O’Level subjects meet the requirements for that course (check the JAMB brochure online).
- Subject combination: For the exam itself. English Language is compulsory for everyone. Then you choose three other subjects relevant to your course. For example:
- Medicine: Physics, Chemistry, Biology
- Law: Literature in English, Economics, Government
- Engineering: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics
- Make sure you choose the right ones! The centre staff should guide you, but it’s your responsibility.
- Uploading: They will upload your passport photo and potentially scan your O’Level result if you brought it.
THIS IS CRITICAL: Once the staff member has entered everything, DO NOT SIGN OR ACCEPT ANYTHING YET! Demand to see the preview screen. Check EVERY SINGLE DETAIL carefully:
- Name Spelling: Is it 100% correct? Matches your NIN exactly?
- Date of Birth: Is it correct? A mistake here is a nightmare to fix.
- Gender, State, LGA: All correct?
- Institution Choices: Are the four schools listed in the exact order you want? Is the spelling of the schools correct?
- Course of Study: Is it the exact course you chose? No abbreviations?
- Subject Combination: Are the three subjects besides English the ones you intended? Correct codes?
- O’Level Details: If entered, are the subjects and grades correct?
If anything is wrong, tell the staff immediately to correct it. Do not be shy! Only when you are completely satisfied that everything is perfect should you give the go-ahead. They will then finalize the registration.
Before you leave the centre, they must give you some printed documents:
- JAMB Registration Slip: This is your GOLD. It has your full details, your passport photo, your exam date, your exam centre (venue), your exam time, and your specific seat number. Laminate this slip or keep it in a very safe plastic folder. You must bring this slip to the exam centre on your exam day. You’ll also need it later for admission processes.
- JAMB e-Slip: This confirms your subject choices and institution choices.
- Centre Receipt: Proof that you registered and paid at that centre.
Do not leave the centre without these prints! Check them again right there to make sure the details match what you saw on the preview screen.
Common Jamb Registration Mistakes to Avoid Like the Plague:
- Using the wrong phone number: The number must be yours and active throughout the process until you finish university!
- Losing your Profile Code or e-PIN: Write them down in multiple places!
- Registering at a fake CBT centre: Only use JAMB-accredited centres. Check online.
- Not checking the preview screen: This is how errors happen. Be vigilant!
- Choosing the wrong subject combination: This can disqualify you from your desired course. Double-check requirements.
- Putting institutions in the wrong order: Your first choice is your priority!
- Mismatched name or date of birth with NIN: This causes huge problems later. Ensure consistency.
- Paying more than the official fee: Report any centre charging extra.
- Not collecting your registration slip: Don’t leave without it!
After registration, it’s not over! Use the time before the exam wisely. Download the JAMB syllabus from their website (jamb.gov.ng) to know exactly what topics to study. Get past questions and practice, practice, practice! There’s even an official JAMB CBT practice app you can download to get used to the computer-based exam format. Check your registration slip for your exam date and venue. Plan how to get there early on the day.
If you run into any problems during registration – maybe the SMS doesn’t work, or you see a mistake after leaving the centre – don’t panic, but act fast. Visit a JAMB state office or contact their support. Their official helpline is usually 0700-CALL-JAMB (0700-2255-582), https://jamb.gov.ng/support. Be wary of scams – JAMB will never call you asking for money or your password.
It might seem like a lot, but take it one step at a time. Get your NIN first. Then the SMS for your profile. Then buy the e-PIN. Then go to the proper CBT centre with all your documents. Check everything carefully. Get your slips. Then focus on studying. You’ve got this! Good luck