The registration for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) has closed after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) extended the registration by one week.

It would be recalled that the board had granted the extension to accommodate candidates who could not register for the 2023 UTME within the allowable window of Jan. 14 to Feb. 14, due to recent developments in the country.

Benjamin said that at the close of the registration, about 1.6 million candidates had successfully registered for the 2023 UTME.

”This number does not include the Direct Entry component of the exercise which had started on Monday, 20th February 2023 before it was put on hold on Tuesday, 21st February 2023.

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”The board registrar’s monitoring team which has gone around the country was in Nasarawa and Delta states on the final day of the exercise to oversee its conclusion.

”In Asaba, Delta State, the team visited Trinity Innovation Hub CBT Centre; Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku CBT Centre 1 and 2; Delta State Library CBT and others.

” It was, however, remarkable that none of these centres has any candidates waiting to be registered, indicating that almost all candidates who desire to register for the exercise have done so,” he said.

Benjamin further said that the same situation was replicated in many centres in Nasarawa State as few candidates were seen at all the centres a day before the closing date and these were cleared before the close of work.

According to him, from every indication, this year’s exercise is shaping up to be the smoothest the board has ever had.

”However, based on reports received from the various monitoring teams across the country, the board will review its SIM number swap policy.

”This is because it will now require the Telcos to confirm that the old SIM being put forward for swapping previously belonged to the applicant but had been issued to another person,” he said.

The JAMB spokesperson added that this would, therefore, preclude the possibility of a `SIM welcome back’ before such swapping would be approved.