JAMB plans Ottawa UTME center for 2027 with $20 fee to ease diaspora access to Nigerian universities

JAMB announced plans to administer the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at Nigeria's High Commission in Ottawa starting in 2027, with a registration fee of just $20. The initiative aims to internationalize Nigerian universities by making it easier for Nigerians in Canada to access domestic higher education without traveling to Nigeria for the exam. JAMB will use existing diplomatic mission facilities rather than establishing a permanent office, extending its current model already operational in nine other foreign cities including London, Johannesburg, and Accra.

While the $20 fee removes one barrier, diaspora parents express skepticism about sending children back to Nigeria due to concerns about broken infrastructure, arbitrary grading, and campus safety issues they experienced themselves. Noah Ogola, a Canada-based data analyst, stated he wouldn't want his child to struggle in Nigeria the way he did, highlighting that exam access alone won't convince families to choose Nigerian universities over Canadian institutions. JAMB acknowledges technical challenges including secure data transmission and biometric verification overseas, though Benjamin, JAMB's spokesperson, noted they stretch exams across multiple days domestically to manage scale.

The initiative tests both JAMB's technical capability to deliver secure exams internationally and whether reduced exam barriers will translate to actual enrollment, as families weigh tuition, travel, and quality-of-life factors beyond just exam access. Will easier exam access change your calculus on Nigerian university education for your children, or do broader systemic concerns remain the deciding factor?

SOURCE: https://techcabal.com/2026/10/17/jamb-canada-exam-centre/