JAMB Lifts SIM Swap, Email Change Restrictions for Candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has lifted its restriction on requests for SIM swapping and changes to registered email addresses, providing relief to candidates who have lost access to the telephone numbers or email accounts linked to their JAMB profiles.

The new arrangement took effect on Monday, September 21, 2026, and is designed to enable affected candidates to regain access to their JAMB records through a controlled verification process.

JAMB said the decision followed the deployment of enhanced identity and biometric verification measures intended to strengthen the integrity of its candidate-management system and guard against fraud, impersonation and unauthorised alterations to candidates’ records.

The Board disclosed the development in a statement issued by its Director of Communications, Fabian Benjamin.

Under the new arrangement, candidates who are unable to access their registered phone numbers or recover their registered email accounts may apply to update the affected details. However, the facility comes with strict conditions aimed at ensuring that it is not exploited to compromise candidates’ profiles.

JAMB stressed that the service would be available only through designated Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, Professional Test Centres (PTC), Professional Registration Centres (PRC), as well as applicable JAMB state offices.

The restriction on where the changes can be effected is part of measures to ensure that requests are subjected to proper identity verification before any modification is made to a candidate’s records.

Biometric Verification to Check Fraud

The introduction of stronger biometric and identity verification procedures is central to JAMB’s decision to reopen the facility.

Candidates’ telephone numbers and email addresses are important components of their interaction with JAMB, as they are used for communication, authentication and access to various services. The loss of access to either can therefore create significant difficulties for candidates attempting to complete registration or access their examination and admission-related information.

At the same time, allowing unrestricted changes to such details could create opportunities for impersonation and other forms of fraudulent activity.

JAMB’s new procedure is therefore intended to strike a balance between providing assistance to genuine candidates and protecting the integrity of its records.

The Board said the strengthened verification process would help ensure that requests for changes were made by the actual candidates to whom the records belong.

Facility Available Only Once

One of the major conditions attached to the new arrangement is that each candidate will be allowed to use the facility only once.

This means candidates are expected to exercise considerable care when requesting changes to their registered telephone numbers or email addresses.

The one-time provision is also likely to serve as a safeguard against repeated alterations that could make it difficult for JAMB to maintain accurate candidate records.

Candidates who have lost access to their registered details are therefore expected to ensure that the replacement information they provide is valid, accessible and securely maintained.

Designated Centres To Handle Requests

JAMB also made clear that candidates cannot simply initiate the changes through informal channels.

The service will be provided at designated JAMB CBT, PTC/PRC centres and applicable state offices.

The arrangement places responsibility on authorised personnel to verify the identity of the applicant before the requested changes are made.

This controlled approach is particularly important because of the sensitive nature of the information contained in JAMB records and the potential consequences of unauthorised access.

For candidates, the development means that losing access to a registered SIM card or email account no longer necessarily leaves them permanently locked out of their JAMB records.

However, they will have to undergo the prescribed verification process before the changes can be effected.

Relief For Candidates

The policy is expected to provide relief for candidates whose circumstances have changed since their initial JAMB registration.

Loss of a mobile phone, replacement of a SIM card, inability to recover an email account or other circumstances could previously make it difficult for candidates to receive messages or access services connected to their original details.

The reopening of the facility gives such candidates an avenue to regularise their records while maintaining safeguards against abuse.

It also underscores the increasing importance of identity management in Nigeria's examination and admission system, where the integrity of candidate records is critical to preventing impersonation and other forms of examination malpractice.

JAMB has in recent years strengthened the use of biometric identification and other verification mechanisms in its examination and registration processes. The latest decision indicates that the Board considers these safeguards sufficiently robust to permit controlled changes to previously restricted candidate information.

Candidates Urged to Use Official Channels

With the facility now available, candidates affected by the loss of access to their registered SIM or email are expected to use only the officially designated centres and channels.

The restriction to authorised centres is also intended to reduce the risk of candidates falling victim to individuals who may claim to have the ability to alter JAMB records outside the approved system.

The one-time nature of the facility makes it particularly important for candidates to ensure that their applications are accurate and that their new contact details remain accessible.

For candidates preparing for admission-related processes, the restoration of access to their registered information could be significant, particularly where communication with JAMB is required.

The Board's decision consequently represents a shift from a blanket restriction on SIM swapping and email changes to a controlled, identity-based system under which genuine candidates can correct access problems while additional safeguards remain in place.

The new policy took effect on September 21, 2026.