The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to extend the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to Ottawa by establishing a Canada JAMB centre, and in other regions North America beginning in 2027.
JAMB disclosed the development in a statement across its official social media channels following a visit by its Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa.
The examination body noted that the proposed foreign center is aimed at accommodating eligible Nigerians residing in Canada and broader North America who are seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The board said, “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.”
For Nigerians in Canada, the UTME is coming closer to home,” it said.
The board added that it was “working towards establishing a UTME examination centre in Ottawa, Canada, expected to commence operations in 2027.”
Additionally, it noted that the initiative was part of its efforts towards “taking Nigerian tertiary education to the world.”
The board noted that the new center will deepen connections between the diaspora and the Nigerian academic framework while lowering barriers for overseas candidates seeking entry into the nation’s tertiary institutions.
Furthermore, JAMB highlighted that establishing the Canada JAMB Centre in Ottawa will expand global visibility for Nigerian higher education and streamline the examination process for candidates across Canada and North America.
Backstory…
The expansion is also coming as JAMB prepares for a significantly reworked 2027 UTME. In September, the board announced that it would introduce a National Digital Pre-Registration App, allowing prospective candidates to research courses, check eligibility and work out their subject combinations on their phones before visiting an accredited centre to complete registration and biometric verification.
The board has also announced another major change for the 2027 examination: critical thinking and life skills are expected to be introduced into the UTME as part of an effort to assess competencies beyond conventional subject knowledge.
The announcement followed JAMB’s participation in the 51st Annual Conference of the International Association for Educational Assessment in Toronto, where issues including artificial intelligence, digital assessment and academic integrity were discussed.
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