The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) plans to establish a JAMB UTME centre in Canada as part of efforts to make the Nigerian university admission process easier for Nigerians living abroad. The proposed centre will be located in Ottawa and is expected to begin operations in 2027.
The development means eligible Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America could take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) closer to where they live. They would no longer need to travel to Nigeria solely because they need to sit for the examination.
JAMB announced the plan on October 5, following a visit by its Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa. The visit provided an opportunity for discussions on how the board could extend UTME access to Nigerians across North America.
The proposed centre has attracted attention because it would become JAMB’s first examination location in North America. The board already conducts the UTME in several countries outside Nigeria as part of its efforts to provide access to candidates living abroad.
JAMB UTME Centre in Canada to reduce travel burden
According to JAMB, the main goal of the initiative is to improve access to Nigerian tertiary education. Professor Aina said the board is not pursuing the Canada centre simply to generate revenue.
He explained that JAMB already provides examination services in about 10 foreign countries. The board sees these centres as a way of helping Nigerians abroad who still want to pursue higher education in Nigeria.
For prospective candidates living in Canada, the proposed arrangement could remove a major travel burden. Returning to Nigeria for an examination can involve international flight costs, accommodation and other expenses. It can also require candidates to take time away from work, school or family responsibilities.
JAMB also clarified that it does not plan to purchase or rent a permanent building for the proposed Ottawa centre. Instead, the board intends to work with the Nigerian High Commission and use available facilities and support staff, similar to arrangements used for examination services in other countries.
Aina further stated that JAMB had not spent money on establishing the proposed centre at the time of the announcement. He said the board used his visit to Canada as an opportunity to discuss the arrangement with the Nigerian diplomatic mission.
More than 100 candidates show interest in Canada
The proposed centre has already generated interest among Nigerians living in Canada. JAMB said more than 100 prospective candidates have indicated that they would like to take the UTME from Canada.
The number has strengthened the board’s argument that there is demand for examination access in North America. JAMB officials have also maintained that the number of candidates should not serve as the only reason for providing overseas examination access.
The board said the initiative could help strengthen the connection between Nigerians in the diaspora and Nigeria’s tertiary education system. It could also give more Nigerians abroad the opportunity to consider universities, polytechnics and other higher institutions in Nigeria.
However, the announcement has also generated public debate. Some Nigerians have questioned whether JAMB should establish another overseas examination location when candidates in Nigeria still face challenges with registration, computer-based testing facilities and other parts of the admission process.
Others have argued that JAMB should explore online examination options or partnerships with existing testing organisations in Canada. Supporters of the proposal, however, believe the initiative could serve Nigerians who have genuine reasons to seek admission in Nigeria.
For now, the Ottawa centre remains a planned initiative rather than an operational examination centre. JAMB has not yet announced detailed registration procedures, examination dates or specific requirements for candidates who will use the facility.
If the plan proceeds as expected, Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America could have a more convenient option for taking the UTME from 2027. The move would also expand JAMB’s international examination network and create another link between Nigerians abroad and the country’s tertiary education system.
