The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has revealed its intention to issue personalized SIM cards to candidates as part of the registration process for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
This initiative seeks to tackle long-standing problems, including the theft or loss of SIM cards.
According to JAMB, the Board is set to introduce customized SIM cards in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) starting from next year. These SIM cards, tailored specifically for UTME registration, will boast advanced security features and will be exclusively accessible to parents or guardians, with a lifespan of five years.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, revealed these developments during a visit from a delegation of the West Africa Civil Societies Forum (WACSOF).
He expressed confidence that the customised SIM cards will effectively resolve the challenges faced during candidates’ registration processes.
Oloyede reassured civil society organizations that JAMB is dedicated to enhancing the UTME registration process, making it more efficient, streamlined, and user-centric. He reiterated the Board’s commitment to harnessing cutting-edge technology to ensure seamless and effective service delivery nationwide.
During the 2024 UTME, candidates encountered two main issues: registration difficulties arising from SIM card changes and inability to access results due to lost or misplaced registered SIM cards.
JAMB stated, “As part of measures to address the perennial challenges of theft or missing Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has concluded arrangements to partner with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to issue UTME candidates with customised phone SIMs for UTME registration.”
