By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigerians living in Canada may no longer need to fly back to Nigeria just to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) plans to open an examination centre in Ottawa.
According to a statement posted on its official X handle on Monday, the proposed centre is expected to commence operations in 2027, bringing Nigeria’s university entrance examination closer to candidates in Canada and potentially other parts of North America.
For Nigerian students in the diaspora seeking admission into Nigerian universities, the plan could eliminate the cost and logistical burden of travelling thousands of kilometres to Nigeria solely to write the UTME.
The Ottawa centre would also expand JAMB’s examination reach beyond Nigeria and make it easier for Nigerians abroad to participate in the country’s tertiary education system without being physically present in Nigeria.
The development comes as increasing numbers of Nigerians living overseas continue to maintain educational and other links with institutions and opportunities back home.
However, details on registration, eligibility, examination logistics and the exact number of candidates the proposed Ottawa centre will accommodate have yet to be made public.
If implemented as planned, the 2027 UTME could mark the first major opportunity for eligible Nigerians in Canada to take the examination from within the country.
