The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will establish a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Ottawa, Canada, to enable Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America to take the examination without travelling to Nigeria.
JAMB Registrar, Segun Aina, disclosed this in a series of posts on X on Tuesday while responding to questions about the proposed centre, which is expected to commence operations with the 2027 UTME.
Aina said the board’s decision was aimed at improving access to the examination and was not driven by the number of candidates or revenue generation.
“UTME is currently being written in about 10 countries as a service to enhance access to education. We also conduct the exams in correctional service centres for the same reason. So the number of candidates is not the main driving force,” he said.
The registrar explained that Nigerians living abroad, including children of public servants posted overseas, could need to sit the UTME to gain admission into Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions.
According to him, JAMB will collaborate with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa to conduct the examination, as it does with Nigerian diplomatic missions in other countries where the UTME takes place.
“We partner with the Nigerian High Commissions in the various countries. We set up temporary spaces within their premises and use their staff to assist us run the exams,” Aina said.
He also said JAMB had not spent any money on the proposed centre, noting that discussions about the facility began after he travelled to Canada for a conference.
“Not a single kobo has gone into this exploration so far – I was in Canada for a conference and used the opportunity to make the connection,” he said.
Aina clarified that JAMB would not establish a permanent facility in Ottawa but would use available space within the Nigerian High Commission to conduct the examination.
JAMB announced the proposed Canada centre on Monday, saying it would provide greater access to Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
