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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has explained its decision to establish a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Ottawa, Canada, saying the initiative is aimed at expanding access for Nigerians living abroad.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, gave the explanation while responding to questions surrounding the proposed centre, which is expected to commence operations for the 2027 UTME. The planned facility would serve eligible Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Aina said JAMB already conducts the UTME in about 10 countries outside Nigeria and that the establishment of overseas centres was primarily intended to make the examination accessible to Nigerians residing abroad. He maintained that the number of candidates in a particular country was not the main factor behind the decision.
The registrar also explained that JAMB did not plan to establish an expensive permanent facility in Ottawa. According to him, the board works with Nigerian diplomatic missions in countries where it conducts overseas examinations and can use temporary spaces within High Commission premises with the assistance of diplomatic staff.
Aina further said no money had been spent on the proposed Canadian centre at the time of his comments. He explained that discussions about the arrangement followed his visit to Canada for a conference, during which he made contacts that could facilitate the examination arrangement.
JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, also defended the initiative, saying more than 100 prospective candidates had already indicated interest in sitting the UTME in Canada. The figure represents expressions of interest and should not be treated as confirmed 2027 UTME registrations.
The proposed Ottawa centre would become JAMB’s first examination location in North America if the plan becomes operational. The board said the initiative is intended to reduce the difficulty faced by Nigerians abroad who wish to sit the UTME for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions without travelling to Nigeria solely for the examination.
