The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to establish a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Ottawa, Canada, with operations expected to begin in 2027.
The proposed centre will enable eligible Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America to sit for the UTME without travelling to Nigeria solely to take the examination.
JAMB disclosed the plan following a visit by its Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa.
According to the board, the initiative is part of its efforts to expand access to Nigerian tertiary education beyond the country’s borders and strengthen the connection between Nigerians in the diaspora and the Nigerian education system.
“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,” JAMB said.
The board explained that the Ottawa centre would particularly benefit Nigerians abroad who intend to gain admission into universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
JAMB said the initiative would remove some of the barriers faced by Nigerians in Canada and across North America who wish to pursue tertiary education in Nigeria.
“For Nigerians in Canada, the UTME is coming closer to home,” the board said.
The examination body also described the proposed centre as part of its broader effort towards “taking Nigerian tertiary education to the world”, adding that it would create opportunities to showcase Nigeria’s tertiary education system internationally.
JAMB said the establishment of the Ottawa centre would provide greater access to the UTME and further strengthen ties between Nigerians living abroad and the country’s education system.
The board is expected to provide further details on registration, eligibility, examination arrangements and other requirements ahead of the centre’s commencement in 2027.
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