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The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Segun Aina, has explained the rationale behind the board’s decision to establish a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Canada.
Daily Sun earlier reported that JAMB planned to establish a UTME centre in Ottawa, Canada, to enable Nigerians in the country and other parts of North America to sit the exam without travelling to Nigeria.
Providing further clarification on the decision, Aina said the initiative was primarily aimed at expanding access to education and not at generating revenue for the examination body.
The registrar disclosed this in a series of posts on X on Tuesday while responding to questions and concerns raised over the planned centre, which is expected to commence operations for the 2027 UTME.
According to Aina, JAMB currently conducts the UTME in about 10 foreign countries as part of efforts to make the examination accessible to eligible candidates outside Nigeria.
“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 wrote.
He explained that although JAMB has examination centres in several African countries, there had been no centre in North America before the proposed Ottawa facility.
Aina said Nigerians relocate abroad for various reasons, while children of Nigerian public servants posted overseas could also require access to the UTME.
“Anyone of the 100s of people who move back yearly for one reason or the other, including the children of many service personnel with tenured postings all around the world,” he said.
The registrar also dismissed concerns about the cost of setting up and maintaining a dedicated examination facility in Canada.
He said JAMB would work with the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, as it does with Nigerian diplomatic missions in other countries where the UTME is conducted.
“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 stated.
He further disclosed that the board had not spent any money on the proposed Canadian centre, saying the discussions followed his visit 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 wrote.
Aina said JAMB would not establish a permanent facility in Ottawa, noting that the examination would instead be conducted within the Nigerian High Commission’s premises to keep costs down.
He also responded to questions about the level of demand for the proposed centre, arguing that the absence of previous candidates from North America could not be used to determine demand because JAMB had no examination facility in the region.
“There couldn’t have been any candidates in North America since we didn’t have any centres there, sir. You are making our point whilst seeming to argue against it,” Aina said.
JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin also defended the initiative, saying the board had already received indications of interest from more than 100 prospective candidates in Canada.
“How will you feel if you know that over 100 candidates have already indicated their interest to sit the exam in Canada? Let us promote the nation, please,” Benjamin wrote.
He added that JAMB would continue to support efforts to promote Nigerian universities by making it easier for eligible candidates, including those living abroad, to access admission opportunities.
