The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is planning to establish a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Ottawa, Canada, from 2027, in a move aimed at making Nigeria’s university admission process more accessible to Nigerians living abroad.
The proposed centre is expected to serve eligible Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America who wish to sit for the UTME and pursue tertiary education in Nigeria.
JAMB disclosed the plan on Monday following a visit by Prof. Segun Aina, its Registrar, to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, where discussions on the proposed examination centre took place.
According to the examination body, establishing a centre in Canada would remove the need for prospective candidates in the diaspora to travel to Nigeria solely to sit for the UTME.
“The centre will provide eligible Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America with easier access to the UTME, particularly those seeking to pursue tertiary education in Nigeria,” JAMB said.
The board added that the initiative would strengthen the connection between Nigerians in the diaspora and the Nigerian education system.
JAMB said the Ottawa initiative is part of its broader effort to make the UTME more accessible, inclusive and globally connected.
The board also sees the proposed centre as an avenue to increase international awareness of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions and create additional pathways for Nigerians abroad who want to pursue higher education at home.
The initiative is being developed under JAMB’s J-CARE framework, which is built around the principle of “More access. More opportunities. A stronger connection to home.”
The proposed Canadian centre could particularly benefit Nigerian families who have relocated to North America but still intend for their children to pursue university education in Nigeria.
Rather than requiring prospective candidates to make an international trip to participate in the admission process, the centre would allow eligible candidates to complete the UTME requirement closer to where they live.
