The 2026 mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), was abruptly disrupted in Asaba, Delta State, due to a widespread power failure.
Candidates who turned up for the examination on Saturday were left stranded as electricity outages crippled operations across multiple accredited centres. The situation was compounded by the absence of backup generators, rendering most of the computers unusable.
Many candidates expressed frustration after waiting for hours without any clear communication before eventually being asked to leave. The disruption also prevented subsequent batches from taking the exam, as earlier sessions could not be completed.
Investigations revealed that the issue affected virtually all JAMB-accredited centres in Asaba and its environs, including the Institute of Continuing Education Centre.
One of the affected candidates recounted the experience: “We were scheduled for 6:30 a.m. and had already started the exam when power suddenly went off midway. We expected the centre to switch to a generator, but nothing happened even after more than an hour. Eventually, we were told to go home because it was just a mock exam.
“Our concern now is whether our incomplete exam will be submitted or graded. If this were the main exam, it would have been disastrous,” the candidate said.
Parents also voiced their dissatisfaction, lamenting the loss of time and resources, and questioning the level of preparedness by both JAMB and the examination centres. Some further criticised the early reporting time of 6:30 a.m., citing safety concerns.
A parent, identified as Madam Mary, described the situation as avoidable, while another, Mrs Stella Macauley, Director of Public Communication and Permanent Secretary at the Delta State Ministry of Information, noted that the incident was strictly a JAMB matter.
She added that the state government had ensured there were no movement restrictions despite the monthly sanitation exercise.
Meanwhile, a JAMB official assured that measures would be taken to prevent a recurrence, expressing optimism that subsequent examinations would proceed smoothly.
