The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has opened a new window for candidates who have lost access to their registered telephone numbers or email accounts to update their details.
The revised arrangement took effect on Monday, September 21, 2026, allowing candidates to change their registered GSM number, email address or both through a controlled verification process.
JAMB’s Acting Director of Public Affairs and Protocols, Dr Fabian Benjamin, announced the policy review in a statement on Monday.
The Board said it had previously prohibited SIM swaps and changes to registered email addresses because of security concerns surrounding alterations to candidates’ credentials.
However, JAMB said stronger identity authentication and biometric verification systems had made it possible to review the restriction while protecting candidates’ records.
The new arrangement is expected to assist candidates who have lost their registered SIM cards or can no longer recover the email accounts linked to their JAMB profiles.
According to the Board, such candidates have sometimes faced difficulties accessing credentials required for subsequent Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination processes.
JAMB said the revised policy was introduced to ensure that genuine candidates were not disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control.
The facility comes with strict conditions.
The Board said each candidate would be allowed to use the SIM swap and/or email change service only once.
The service is also available only at designated JAMB Computer-Based Test centres, including Professional Test and Registration Centres and applicable state offices.
Candidates must provide their new GSM number and/or email address, depending on the service required.
They must also have a duly executed court affidavit, which must be scanned and uploaded as part of the verification process.
JAMB outlined a seven-step process for accessing the facility.
Candidates must first log into their JAMB e-Facility profile using their existing credentials, including their email address, registration number or profile code.
They should then select “SIM Swap/eMail Change Payment” and pay the prescribed fee.
After payment, the candidate must proceed to a designated JAMB CBT centre and access the “SIM Swap/eMail Change Quicklink.”
The candidate will enter the profile code or existing GSM number and select “Fetch Details.”
Biometric verification will follow, after which the candidate will select the required service — GSM number only, email address only, or both GSM number and email address.
The candidate will then enter the new details, upload the scanned court affidavit and click “Update” to complete the process.
A confirmation message will be displayed after a successful update.
JAMB urged candidates to use the facility strictly for genuine cases and warned them against patronising unauthorised outlets.
The Board said the reviewed policy was aimed at balancing the security of candidates’ personal records with easier access to legitimate services.
The measure is expected to provide relief to candidates who previously had no straightforward way to update registered contact details after losing access to their SIM cards or email accounts.
