JAMB Introduces One-Time SIM and Email Change: How to Update Your Lost Phone Number or Email Share

JAMB Introduces One-Time Process for Changing Registered SIM and Email

For years, one of the most stressful situations a JAMB candidate could face was losing access to the phone number or email address tied to their profile, since these details were historically treated as permanent, unchangeable identifiers. That has now changed. JAMB has reviewed its policy to allow a controlled, one-time correction for candidates in this exact situation.

Can I Change My Registered JAMB Phone Number or Email Now?

Yes, but only under specific conditions. JAMB has introduced a secure, controlled process permitting candidates who have genuinely lost access to their registered SIM card or email address to update their GSM number and/or email. This service commenced on Monday, 21st September 2026.

Why Did JAMB Make This Change?

For a long time, JAMB advised candidates to register with personal, permanent phone numbers and email addresses precisely because these identifiers could not be swapped once used. As recently as December 2025, a JAMB official reiterated this same advice ahead of the 2026 UTME registration cycle. However, JAMB has now acknowledged the widespread, genuine challenges candidates face when a SIM card is lost, blocked, or damaged, or when an email account becomes permanently inaccessible, and has adjusted its policy to address this rather than leaving affected candidates with no path forward.

Where Can I Access This Service?

The service is available exclusively at:

• Designated JAMB Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, including PTC and PRC centres
• Applicable JAMB State Offices

This is not something that can be completed remotely or through the JAMB portal directly; it requires an in-person visit to one of these designated locations.

How Many Times Can I Use This Service?

The update can be carried out only once per candidate. This is a strict, one-time correction, not a repeatable feature, so candidates should treat this opportunity carefully and ensure the new details they provide are ones they can maintain long-term, rather than risking needing another change later that this policy does not accommodate.

What Do I Need to Change My Registered SIM or Email?

Based on JAMB's outlined process, candidates should be prepared with the following:

• Your National Identification Number (NIN)
• Your original UTME registration slip
• Valid candidate identification credentials
• Readiness to undergo biometric thumbprint verification to confirm ownership of the account

What Is the Step-by-Step Process?

The general process for updating your registered SIM or email is:

• Step 1: Visit the nearest accredited JAMB Professional Testing Centre or JAMB State Office
• Step 2: Present your NIN, original UTME registration slip, and candidate identification credentials
• Step 3: Perform biometric thumbprint verification to confirm you are the genuine account owner
• Step 4: Provide the new, active phone number or corrected email address for instant OTP verification and profile updating
• Step 5: Collect your updated JAMB profile slip confirming the successful alteration

Is This Service Available to Everyone, or Only Specific Cases?

This service specifically targets candidates with genuine cases of lost access to their previously registered contact details. JAMB has been clear that this is not an open correction window for routine changes, meaning candidates who simply prefer a different number or email, without having actually lost access to the original, are not the intended users of this process.

What Were the Old Restrictions on Changing These Details?

Reports had previously indicated that phone numbers and email addresses used for JAMB registration could not be changed once registered, dating back to as early as January 2024. Candidates who lost access to their SIM cards were previously advised to try recovering the number directly through their network provider instead, since JAMB itself offered no built-in correction path. This new one-time process represents a genuine shift away from that older, more rigid stance.

Why Is the Registered Phone Number So Important in the First Place?

Your registered phone number carries particular weight because it is used specifically in generating your profile code, done by sending your NIN to JAMB via SMS. It also plays a role in accepting or rejecting admission offers on JAMB CAPS. Losing access to this number without a correction path historically created serious complications across multiple stages of the JAMB process, which is exactly the gap this new service closes.

What Should I Do If I Still Have Access to My Original SIM and Email?

If you still have access to your originally registered phone number and email, there is no reason to use this new one-time service, since it is specifically designed for candidates who have lost access entirely. JAMB continues to advise candidates preparing for future UTME cycles to register using personal, permanent phone numbers and email addresses precisely to avoid needing this correction process at all.

Final Note

JAMB's new one-time SIM and email change process, effective from 21st September 2026, closes a long-standing gap for candidates who have genuinely lost access to their registered contact details. Because this can only be used once and requires an in-person visit with biometric verification, candidates should approach it carefully and ensure their newly provided details are ones they can hold onto long-term.

Frequently Asked Questions -- JAMB One-Time SIM and Email Change

Can I change my JAMB registered phone number or email now?

Yes, but only if you have genuinely lost access to it. JAMB introduced this controlled, one-time process effective 21st September 2026.

Where do I go to change my JAMB phone number or email?

Exclusively at a designated JAMB Computer-Based Test centre, including PTC/PRC centres, or an applicable JAMB State Office.

How many times can I use this service?

Only once per candidate. It is a strict one-time correction, not a repeatable feature.

What documents do I need?

Your NIN, your original UTME registration slip, valid candidate identification credentials, and readiness for biometric thumbprint verification.

Can I change my details just because I prefer a different number or email?

No, this service specifically targets candidates who have genuinely lost access to their registered details, not routine or preference-based changes.

Was this always possible with JAMB before?

No, phone numbers and emails were previously treated as permanent, unchangeable identifiers once registered. This is a new policy shift.

What is the step-by-step process for this update?

Visit an accredited centre, present your NIN and registration slip, complete biometric verification, provide your new details for OTP verification, and collect your updated profile slip.

Why is my registered phone number so important?

It is used to generate your profile code via NIN verification and plays a role in accepting or rejecting admission offers on JAMB CAPS.

Should I use this service if I still have my original SIM and email?

No, there is no need. This service exists specifically for candidates who have lost access entirely.