The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to establish a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Ottawa, Canada, from 2027.
The proposed centre is expected to enable Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America to sit for the UTME without travelling to Nigeria solely to write the examination.
JAMB disclosed the plan following a visit by its Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa.
The board, in a statement shared on its official social media platforms, said the initiative was part of its efforts to expand access to Nigerian tertiary education for citizens living outside the country.
According to JAMB, the Ottawa centre would make it easier for eligible Nigerians in Canada and across North America, particularly those seeking admission into Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions, to participate in the UTME.
“The proposed centre will make it easier for Nigerians in the diaspora to sit for the UTME without travelling to Nigeria solely for the examination,” the board said.
JAMB said the initiative was also aimed at strengthening the relationship between Nigerians in the diaspora and the Nigerian education system.
The board explained that establishing the centre would create greater opportunities for Nigerian tertiary institutions to reach prospective students abroad and showcase the country’s higher education system internationally.
“For Nigerians in Canada, the UTME is coming closer to home,” JAMB said.
The board added that it was working towards establishing the Ottawa examination centre, which is expected to commence operations in 2027.
The proposed centre will particularly benefit Nigerians in Canada who intend to pursue tertiary education in Nigeria, while also reducing the financial and logistical challenges associated with travelling to the country to take the entrance examination.
JAMB described the development as part of its broader effort to take Nigerian tertiary education to the world and provide greater access to Nigerians living abroad.
