The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said the use of email is no longer required for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) registration.

Prof Ishaq Oloyede, who stated this while addressing newsmen in Abuja, said consequently, candidates will have the following options to access their profile during or after registration.

“As from Thursday, 15th April, 2021, candidates will no longer be required to provide any email address during registration.”

“The use of Mobile APP on the candidates’ phone and on the 55019 option (being designed) for example admission status checking, will be used for registration, admission, etc on their profile.

“Printing of examination slip (Notification) or Result notification slip or ticketing can be done anywhere using the candidates JAMB registration number only,” he said.

He explained that candidates will provide their email addresses only after the 2021 UTME/DE registration exercise has been declared closed by JAMB through (a) Mobile APP on his/her registered phone.

Also, sending the word email (space then the email address) on his /her registered phone to 55019.

“The email is typed twice for correctness (Email addresses will be entered twice for validation and prevention of typographical errors,” Oloyede said.

The JAMB boss said the new system is to ensure candidates’ information are not exposed to dubious Cyber Cafe operators and other criminal elements who in the course of UTME/ Direct Entry registration steal email passwords to perpetrate fraud.

The JAMB boss said an individual’s mobile phone now remains the only major tool to carry out all the registration processes.

Speaking further, Oloyede said the Board has phased out the use of cash for any transactions in the Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres owned by JAMB, saying only use of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards is now allowed.

While saying the move is to frustrate the antics of touts who hang around JAMB CBT centres as well as prevent illegal charges, Oloyede said candidates that are keen on using cash can visit privately owned centres for registration and other activities.

Earlier, a final-year student of University of Abuja (UniAbuja), Adegoke Justina, told newsmen how she was lured to handover her email details to a Cyber Cafe operator, who posed as staff of the Board.

Adegoke had visited JAMB CBT centre in Kogo-Bwari area of Abuja to rectify issues with her admission when she was accosted by the young man, who promised to help do necessary applications, only for him to be issuing threats and demanding money days after taking over the student’s email address.

Moses Peter, the cyber cafe operator, nabbed by police over the incident, however, identified the perpetrator of the crime as one David Ahmad, a student of Auchi Polytechnic, who sometimes works in the cafe.