JAMB plans UTME centre in Canada for Nigerians from 2027

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is set to open a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) center in Ottawa, Canada, with operations expected to begin in 2027. This news was announced on the board's X account following a meeting with Prof. Segun Aina, JAMB's registrar, at the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa.

The proposed center aims to facilitate easier access to the UTME for eligible Nigerians residing in Canada and other North American regions who aspire to pursue higher education in Nigeria. By eliminating the need for these candidates to travel to Nigeria solely for the examination, the center promises to significantly enhance accessibility and convenience for Nigerians in the diaspora.

JAMB believes that this initiative will not only bridge the gap between Nigerians abroad and the Nigerian education system but also strengthen the connection between the two. The UTME center in Ottawa is expected to make the examination more accessible to Nigerians across North America and create greater opportunities to promote Nigerian tertiary education internationally, thereby opening more pathways for Nigerians in the diaspora to access higher education in Nigeria.

This move by JAMB aligns with the board's ongoing efforts to expand access to the UTME and accommodate candidates beyond its traditional examination locations. In May 2025, Nairametrics reported that JAMB had planned to conduct its foreign examination in nine countries across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa.