The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, or JAMB, has imposed fees that the Nigerian Senate has expressed grave reservations about, raising doubts about their affordability for students nationwide.
Lawmakers criticized the cost of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, or UTME, during a budget defense session, emphasizing that many Nigerian families are already struggling financially.
According to the Senate, many potential candidates still find the existing price, which is approximately ₦3,500, to be a burden.
The Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions’ chairman, Mr. Amos Yohanna, demanded that the examination fee be further lowered and urged JAMB to put accessibility and equity at the forefront of its operations.
The Senate also highlighted issues that candidates face, such as “technical glitches during registration and examinations” and restricted access to Computer Based Test (CBT) centers, especially in rural regions, in addition to the charges.
The Senate also questioned JAMB’s revenue projections, citing its internal revenue projection of almost ₦23.8 billion in 2026, and called for increased accountability and transparency in its financial operations.
In response, JAMB officials insisted that the UTME price has already been lowered from ₦5,000 to ₦3,500 and stated that efforts are being made to increase the number of CBT centers across the country and enhance the examination procedure in general.
However, the Senate pushed on changes that would guarantee a more effective and inclusive admissions process while lessening the financial burden on students.
