UTME: Senate to Fund More JAMB ICT Centres

The Senate has pledged to allocate sufficient funds in the 2026 budget to support the nationwide conduct of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

This was revealed by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, which stated that the examination, administered by JAMB as a computer-based test (CBT), must meet global standards.

Speaking during an inspection at Aduvie International School, Jahi, Abuja, the committee chairman, Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse (Katsina South), expressed worry over the lack of CBT centres in some local government areas.

The lawmaker remarked that if the Federal Government truly desired Nigerians to study within the country, then access to such education must be prioritised. He emphasised that the UTME process should be made more accessible for applicants aspiring to study in tertiary institutions.

According to him, “In making it easy for candidates seeking admission into universities or other tertiary institutions through UTME, the ICT centres must be made available in all the 774 local government councils across the country.”

He revealed that in his southern senatorial district in Katsina, Northwest Nigeria, only two of the 11 local government areas have ICT centres for UTME, a situation he described as a hindrance for applicants.

“Since the Examination is computer-based, centres for it need to be made available across the 774 local government councils in the country and in doing this, this committee of the Senate, in collaboration with our colleagues in the House of Representatives, shall facilitate budgetary provisions for it in 2026 fiscal year,” he said.

Speaking on the challenges faced by JAMB, the board’s spokesman, Dr Fabian Benjamin, informed members of the Senate committee: “JAMB presently has close to 900 ICT centres across the country, and, in fact, precisely 880 centres, which, however, do not cover all the 774 local government councils across the country.

“JAMB shall be happy if the committee facilitates budgetary provisions for the establishment of ICT centres in local government councils across the country that are yet to have one.”

The committee, which included senators Jibrin Isah (Kogi East), Diket Plang (Plateau Central), and others on the oversight tour, first visited the Government Secondary School, Wuse Zone 3, to monitor the UTME, where its chairman expressed satisfaction with JAMB’s arrangements for the smooth conduct of the examination.