The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is working to establish a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Ottawa, Canada, expected to begin operations in 2027.
The move aims to make the UTME more accessible to Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America, reducing the need for candidates in the diaspora to travel to Nigeria solely to sit the examination.
According to JAMB, the initiative followed discussions between the Board’s Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Canada, Prof. Isaac Adewale, during a visit to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa.
The proposed centre reflects JAMB’s commitment to making the UTME more inclusive and globally connected while strengthening ties between Nigerians abroad and the Nigerian tertiary education system. It is also expected to create greater opportunities to showcase Nigerian higher education internationally.
JAMB already conducts the UTME in several countries, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, The Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire. The Ottawa centre would expand this network into North America.
The announcement forms part of broader reforms outlined by the Board following its participation in the 51st Annual Conference of the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) held in Toronto, Canada, from September 27 to October 2, 2026.
JAMB described the planned centre as a step toward “more access, more opportunities, [and] a stronger connection to home” for Nigerians in the diaspora.
