The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has explained why it plans to establish a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Ottawa, Canada, saying the initiative is intended to improve access to Nigerian tertiary education for candidates living abroad.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, said the proposed centre was not primarily being considered as a revenue-generating venture but as a way of making the UTME more accessible to Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America.
The planned Ottawa centre is expected to begin operations in 2027 and would allow eligible Nigerians living in the region to take the examination without travelling to Nigeria solely for the purpose of writing the UTME. JAMB announced the plan after Aina visited the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa.
Why Canada?
Responding to questions about the need for a Canadian centre, Aina explained that JAMB already conducts the UTME in several countries outside Nigeria as part of its efforts to provide access to candidates who need to sit the examination.
He said the number of candidates in a particular country was not necessarily the main factor behind the establishment of foreign examination centres.
Aina also pointed out that JAMB had examination arrangements in parts of Africa and other regions but previously had no centre in North America.
According to the registrar, Nigerians continue to relocate abroad for different reasons, while some children of Nigerian officials serving overseas may also require access to the Nigerian admission system.
He argued that the absence of a centre in North America had naturally limited the number of candidates who could take the UTME there.
JAMB says centre will use diplomatic facilities
Aina also addressed concerns over the possible cost of establishing and operating a permanent examination facility in Ottawa.
He explained that JAMB’s approach in foreign countries involves working with Nigerian diplomatic missions rather than necessarily establishing standalone examination facilities.
According to him, the board can make use of temporary spaces within Nigerian High Commission premises, with diplomatic staff assisting with the examination process.
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Aina said no money had been spent on the Canadian proposal so far, explaining that discussions about the arrangement began during his visit to Canada for a conference.
He further indicated that the proposed arrangement would help keep operating costs down because JAMB would not need to immediately establish a permanent computer-based testing facility in Ottawa.
More than 100 candidates reportedly interested
JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin also defended the proposed centre amid questions about whether there would be enough candidates to justify it.
Benjamin said the board had already received indications of interest from more than 100 prospective candidates who wanted to write the UTME in Canada.
The figure was presented by the spokesperson as evidence that there is potential demand among Nigerians in the country and wider North American region.
JAMB has also said the initiative forms part of its broader effort to strengthen the relationship between Nigerians in the diaspora and Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
When will the Ottawa UTME centre start?
The proposed centre is expected to commence operations in 2027.
JAMB said eligible Nigerians in Canada and across North America will be able to use the facility to sit the UTME, particularly those seeking admission into Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions.
The board has described the initiative as part of its effort to make the Nigerian tertiary admission system more accessible beyond the country’s borders.
JAMB’s official website currently identifies Prof. Segun Aina as the board’s registrar and lists the organisation’s ongoing work around examination and admission processes.
The Ottawa plan therefore represents an expansion of JAMB’s existing foreign examination arrangements, with the board positioning the initiative primarily around access and convenience for Nigerians living abroad.