“The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that it spent N113.8 million to supervise the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in seven foreign countries.

The examination, held on July 12, 2025, took place in Buea (Cameroon), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), London (United Kingdom), Johannesburg (South Africa), Lome (Togo), Cotonou (Benin Republic), and Accra (Ghana).

JAMB explained that the initiative reflects its ongoing efforts to make tertiary education accessible to Nigerians in the diaspora and other interested candidates abroad. It also aims to boost the global profile of Nigerian institutions and attract foreign students to the country’s higher education system.

As part of this internationalization push, JAMB revealed that the number of foreign students admitted into Nigerian universities will now be considered in the selection process for the National Tertiary Admissions Performance Merit Award (NATAP M-Award), which recognizes institutions for outstanding performance in foreign student enrollment.

A review of the board’s 2024 operations showed that the UTME was conducted in eight foreign centers, including Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) and Banjul (The Gambia), which were not part of the 2025 locations.

JAMB stated that the consistent organization of UTME in foreign centers underscores its commitment to expanding access to Nigerian education and reinforcing the country’s status as a growing destination for academic engagement across West Africa and beyond.”