Last Updated on 1 month ago by Haruna Ayuba
The 2026 UTME starts on Thursday, April 16. You have 72 hours left. This is not the time to start new topics or panic about what you have not covered. It is the time to consolidate what you already know, sharpen your exam strategy, and make sure nothing practical stands between you and a strong performance. This guide tells you exactly what to do, hour by hour, in the time you have left.
- Key Highlights
- Understand the Exam You Are Walking Into
- What to Revise in the Final 72 Hours
- Exam Strategy You Must Know Before You Enter the Hall
- The Night Before Your Exam — What to Do
- The Morning of Your Exam
- What Not to Do in the Final 72 Hours
- Your Final Checklist Before Exam Day
- Frequently Asked Questions
Key Highlights
- The UTME has 180 questions across four subjects, completed in 2 hours
- Use of English carries 60 questions — the single largest subject in the exam
- Expect 10 questions from The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba in your Use of English paper
- Do not leave any question blank — an educated guess is better than no answer
- To score 250 and above, you need consistent performance across all four subjects — neglecting even one pulls your total down
- The exam is happening — JAMB has confirmed the postponement rumours are fake. All activities continue as scheduled
Understand the Exam You Are Walking Into
Before you revise a single page, know exactly what the exam looks like.
2026 UTME Structure
| Subject | Number of Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Use of English (compulsory) | 60 | 100 |
| Subject 2 | 40 | 100 |
| Subject 3 | 40 | 100 |
| Subject 4 | 40 | 100 |
| Total | 180 | 400 |
Each question has four options lettered A to D. The total duration is two hours.
To manage your time effectively, dedicate approximately 40 minutes to Use of English and 27 minutes to each of the remaining three subjects.
This means you have roughly 40 seconds per question on average. Speed and accuracy must work together. You cannot afford to spend three minutes on one question.
What to Revise in the Final 72 Hours
Use of English — Your Biggest Score Opportunity
Use of English carries 60 questions out of 180 total and covers comprehension, lexis and structure, oral English, and the reading text. Your performance in English significantly impacts your overall score — this is not a subject to take lightly.
Focus your remaining English revision on these three areas:
The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba
Candidates can expect 10 questions from this novel in the 2026 UTME, making it essential to read and understand the book thoroughly.
The novel follows Mr. Bepo Adewale, the beloved principal of Stardom Schools in Lekki, Lagos. He faces a major decision — whether to abandon his 24-year career and join his wife in the United Kingdom. The book is set in Lagos, primarily Lekki and Badagry, and is 63 pages across 12 chapters.
If you have not finished the novel, read it today. Focus on the main characters, key themes, plot turning points, and the author’s message. Questions from the reading text typically cover character analysis, themes, plot summary, literary devices, and the author’s style.
Lexis and Structure
Many candidates lose marks in the lexis and structure section due to poor understanding of concord, tense, and sentence patterns. These areas appear every year. Spend at least one hour doing past questions specifically on concord and tense before your exam date.
Oral English
The oral English section tests candidates’ knowledge of spoken English, especially pronunciation and stress patterns. Review word stress patterns, vowel sounds, and rhyme schemes using past questions. Do not skip this — it is consistently tested.
Your Three Other Subjects
With 40 questions per subject and limited time left, do not attempt to cover everything. Instead, focus on high-frequency topics — the ones that appear in past questions repeatedly.
The single most valuable thing you can do right now for your three other subjects is to work through the last 10 years of past JAMB questions per subject under timed conditions. JAMB questions come directly from the approved syllabus and certain concepts appear repeatedly. Identifying patterns saves time and increases efficiency.
Do not start new topics you have never studied before. Deepening your understanding of familiar topics is far more effective in 72 hours than introducing new ones.
Exam Strategy You Must Know Before You Enter the Hall
Knowing your subjects is only half the battle. How you manage those 120 minutes decides your final score.
Start With Your Strongest Subject
Begin with the subject you are most confident in. This builds confidence, allows you to complete easier sections faster and gain extra time for tougher ones, and prevents panic early in the exam.
Do Not Fight Difficult Questions
If a question looks too difficult, do not spend too long on it. Flag it and move on. Return to skipped questions after completing the rest. Spending three minutes on one hard question while leaving five easy ones unanswered is how candidates lose points they should have had.
Never Leave a Question Blank
Ensure you do not leave any question blank. Even an educated guess is better than no answer. If unsure, eliminate the obviously wrong options first before choosing from what remains. JAMB does not deduct marks for wrong answers, so a blank answer is always worse than a guess.
Trust Your First Answer
Your first answer is usually correct. Overthinking leads to confusion. Changing answers unnecessarily can reduce accuracy. If a question is straightforward and you are confident, select your answer and move on.
Use the Timer on Screen
The CBT screen displays a countdown timer. Check your progress every 20 to 30 minutes and compare how many questions you have completed. If you are behind schedule, increase your speed slightly. Do not wait until the last 10 minutes to realise you have many unanswered questions.
The Night Before Your Exam — What to Do
This is where most candidates make mistakes. The night before is not for cramming. It is for preparation.
- Stop reading by 9pm. Reading until midnight increases anxiety and reduces retention.
- Prepare everything you need to bring — your printed exam slip, valid ID, and pencil — and put them in one place you will not forget.
- Confirm your CBT centre address one final time on your slip and check how long the journey takes.
- Set at least two alarms for the morning.
- Eat a proper meal. An empty stomach affects concentration.
- Sleep early. Your brain consolidates what you have studied during sleep. Rest is preparation.
The Morning of Your Exam
- Wake up early enough to eat, dress, and travel without rushing.
- Arrive at your centre at least one hour before your scheduled session. Registration queues and biometric checks take time.
- Do not discuss exam topics with other candidates outside the hall. It creates last-minute doubt about things you already know correctly.
- Take three slow deep breaths before you sit down. Pressure can destroy even well-prepared candidates. A slow deep breath held for three seconds then released slowly reduces anxiety instantly.
What Not to Do in the Final 72 Hours
- Do not attempt expo, runs, or any service claiming to provide questions in advance. There is no reliable secret code or guaranteed leaked questions for JAMB 2026. The CBT system randomises questions and relying on such services leads to disappointment. Beyond that, JAMB has made clear that anyone caught faces cancellation of results.
- Do not start reading new textbooks or topics you have never covered.
- Do not stay up all night — fatigue on exam day is one of the most common reasons for poor performance.
- Do not travel to your exam town on the morning of the exam if it is far — go the evening before.
Your Final Checklist Before Exam Day
| Task | Done |
|---|---|
| Exam slip printed — two copies in colour or black and white | |
| CBT centre address confirmed on slip | |
| Physical journey to centre planned | |
| Pencil ready | |
| Phone left at home or secured outside hall | |
| Alarm set for exam morning | |
| The Lekki Headmaster revision completed | |
| Past questions reviewed for all four subjects | |
| Proper meal and rest planned for the night before |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to score 250 with only 72 hours left?
Yes. To score 250 and above, you need consistent performance across all four subjects. Scoring approximately 62 to 65 percent of questions correctly across all subjects gets you there. Focus on subjects where you are weakest and do targeted past questions today and tomorrow.
How many questions must I get right to score 200?
The total score is out of 400, with each of the four subjects carrying 100 marks. To score 200, you need to answer correctly roughly half of your questions across all four subjects — approximately 90 out of 180. That is very achievable with focused revision.
Should I read new topics the night before?
No. Education experts advise candidates to avoid last-minute reading of new topics as the exam approaches. Revise what you know. Familiarity breeds speed, and speed wins marks on a timed CBT.
What if I feel nervous on exam day?
That is completely normal. Channel it into alertness rather than panic. Starting with your strongest subject builds early momentum and reduces anxiety for the rest of the exam. You have prepared. Trust it.
This article was published by CampusNinja.com.ng and last updated on April 13, 2026. Share this with every 2026 UTME candidate you know — the exam is in three days.
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