JAMB to bring UTME closer to Nigerians in Canada from 2027
Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America will be able to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) closer to home from 2027 under a plan by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
JAMB is working towards establishing a UTME examination centre in Ottawa, Canada, which is expected to begin operations in 2027.
The proposed centre will serve eligible Nigerians in Canada and across North America who want to gain admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The move means candidates in the region may no longer need to travel to Nigeria solely to write the UTME.
JAMB announced the plan following a visit by its Registrar, Prof Segun Aina, to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, where the proposed examination centre was discussed.
According to the board, the initiative is aimed at expanding access to the Nigerian tertiary education system for Nigerians living abroad.
What JAMB is planning in Canada
JAMB plans to establish the new examination centre in Ottawa, the capital of Canada.
The board said the centre is expected to commence operations in 2027 and will make it easier for eligible Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America to participate in the UTME.
JAMB said the plan would reduce the need for candidates to travel back to Nigeria simply to take the entrance examination.
The board described the proposed centre as part of efforts to make Nigerian tertiary education more accessible to Nigerians in the diaspora.
It also said the initiative would strengthen the connection between Nigerians abroad and Nigeria’s education system.
Who can use the centre?
The proposed Ottawa centre is intended for eligible Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America who want to sit for the UTME for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The centre does not mean that JAMB is introducing a separate examination for Nigerians abroad.
Rather, eligible candidates will have access to the same UTME examination process without having to return to Nigeria solely for the examination.
JAMB already conducts the UTME outside Nigeria.
Its official information lists foreign examination locations including London, Accra, Banjul, Cotonou, Jeddah and Johannesburg, among others.
The proposed Ottawa centre would therefore expand the geographical reach of JAMB’s overseas examination arrangements.
Why the Ottawa centre matters
For Nigerians living in Canada, the biggest change could be the reduction in the cost and difficulty of travelling to Nigeria for the UTME.
A candidate living in Canada who wants to pursue a degree at a Nigerian university currently has to consider the logistics involved in travelling to Nigeria for the examination if an appropriate overseas centre is not available.
That can involve international airfare, accommodation, local transportation and other expenses.
The proposed Ottawa centre could remove the need for such a trip solely for the UTME.
It could also make Nigerian tertiary institutions more accessible to young Nigerians growing up or living in Canada who still want to study in Nigeria.
JAMB said the centre would provide “more access” to the examination and create opportunities to strengthen the relationship between Nigerians in the diaspora and Nigerian tertiary education.
JAMB already conducts UTME outside Nigeria
The plan for Canada is not JAMB’s first attempt to take the UTME outside Nigeria.
The examination body already provides foreign centres for Nigerians who live abroad and want to pursue education in Nigeria.
JAMB’s official records show that foreign candidates have previously taken the examination in countries including the United Kingdom, Ghana, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Benin Republic and Cameroon.
In 2025, JAMB said Nigerians living abroad who wished to pursue tertiary education in Nigeria sat the UTME in seven foreign locations, including London, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Cotonou, Lomé, Accra and Buea.
The Ottawa proposal would therefore extend an existing arrangement to a part of North America with a significant Nigerian population.
What candidates still need to do
The proposed centre does not remove the normal requirements for taking the UTME.
Candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions still have to register for the examination and follow JAMB’s prescribed procedures.
JAMB’s official guidance states that candidates must provide their personal information, qualifications, choice of institutions and programmes, UTME subjects and other required details during registration.
Candidates must also complete biometric authentication at an approved registration centre.
The board has not yet announced the full operational details for the proposed Ottawa centre, including its exact address, registration arrangements, examination schedule or the specific procedures candidates in Canada will follow.
Those details are expected to become clearer as JAMB moves towards the planned 2027 commencement.
JAMB expands its reach beyond Nigeria
The Ottawa proposal comes as JAMB continues to expand access to its examination system through technology and overseas centres.
The board’s role goes beyond conducting the UTME. It also processes admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions after candidates have taken the examination.
For the 2026 admission cycle, JAMB said the minimum benchmark approved for universities was 150, while 100 was approved for polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of education, colleges of agriculture and innovation enterprise institutions.
More than two million candidates sat the UTME in 2026, highlighting the scale of the examination and the importance of access to examination centres.
For Nigerians in Canada and other parts of North America, the proposed Ottawa centre could make one part of the process significantly easier.
Instead of making a long trip to Nigeria just to write the UTME, eligible candidates would have the opportunity to take the examination closer to where they live.
If the plan proceeds as announced, the Ottawa centre will begin operations in 2027 and become another overseas location through which Nigerians can access the Nigerian university admission process.
For Nigerians in Canada who still want to study in their home country’s tertiary institutions, the UTME could soon be coming much closer to home.