The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released official guidelines and troubleshooting tips for candidates preparing to register for the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry (DE) exercise.
Step 1: Generate Your 10-Digit JAMB Profile Code
- Using your personal GSM phone number (which has never been used by anyone else for JAMB), send an SMS in the format: NIN [space] Your 11-Digit NIN (e.g.,
NIN 00000011111) to 55019 or 66019. - Your biodata (Name, Date of Birth, Gender, State of Origin) is pulled directly from NIMC. If you need any correction to your name or date of birth, update it at a NIMC office before generating your Profile Code.
Step 2: Buy Your e-PIN & Complete Biometrics on a Dual Screen
- Purchase your e-PIN only from authorized banks, online gateways, or accredited CBT centres.
- At the CBT centre, make sure a dual screen monitor is used so you can watch your live photograph, 10-finger biometrics, and subject combinations being entered in real time. Never allow any centre to "force-register" your fingerprints if biometric capture fails (report to a JAMB office instead).
How to Fix 4 Common Profile Code SMS Errors
| SMS Error Message | Cause & Exact Solution |
|---|---|
| "Error 550/66019" / Wrong Parameter | Incorrect SMS format. Ensure there is a single space between the word NIN and your 11-digit number, with no extra characters. |
| "Number Already Registered" | That SIM card was previously used to generate a JAMB Profile Code. Retrieve the original SIM used by you or get a completely new personal SIM if someone else used it. |
| "Unable to Verify NIN" | Temporary NIMC verification server delay. Wait a few hours and resend the SMS. |
| "Record Not Found" | Your NIN has not synced to the NIMC verification database. Visit the nearest NIMC office for validation. |
Start practicing early for 300+ in the 2026 UTME using the Mentra JAMB CBT app, available on both Android and iOS.
EDITORIAL VERIFICATION
Published by Mentra Academic Research
Every study guide, syllabus analysis, and timing breakdown is cross-checked against official examination criteria (JAMB UTME, POST-UTME, and WAEC) by subject matter specialists.
