Unilever Nigeria Empowers Employees’ Children With Scholarships, Boosts Access to Education
Unilever Nigeria Plc has awarded scholarships to children of its employees as part of its long-running education support programme, helping beneficiaries access secondary education while rewarding academic excellence. The scholarship scheme, which has been running for more than
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is working towards establishing a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centre in Ottawa, Canada, which is expected to commence operations in 2027. The proposed centre will allow eligible Nigerians living in Canada and other parts of North America to sit for the UTME without travelling to Nigeria solely for the examination.
JAMB disclosed the development following a visit by its Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, to the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, Canada. The board said the initiative is aimed at making the examination more accessible to Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly those seeking admission into Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions.
According to JAMB, the Ottawa centre will reduce the barriers faced by Nigerians abroad who wish to pursue tertiary education in Nigeria. The board said the proposed centre is part of its efforts to take Nigerian tertiary education to a wider international audience while strengthening the connection between Nigerians abroad and the Nigerian education system.
“For Nigerians in Canada, the UTME is coming closer to home,” JAMB said. The examination body added that the initiative would create greater opportunities to showcase Nigerian tertiary education internationally and provide more access to Nigerians in North America seeking admission into Nigerian institutions.
Following questions about the proposed centre, JAMB Registrar Prof. Segun Aina explained that the initiative is primarily about expanding access to education rather than generating revenue. Aina said JAMB currently conducts the UTME in about 10 foreign countries as a service to candidates.
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He noted that although the board has examination centres in several countries, there had previously been no UTME centre in North America. He said the number of candidates was not the main consideration in establishing foreign examination centres, stressing that the objective was to make access to Nigerian tertiary education easier for eligible candidates living outside the country.
The registrar also explained that JAMB does not necessarily need to acquire or rent a permanent facility for the Ottawa examination centre. According to him, the board works with Nigerian diplomatic missions in countries where it conducts the UTME, using temporary spaces within High Commission premises and support from diplomatic staff to administer the examination.
Aina said the proposed Canadian arrangement would similarly make use of space within the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa, helping to keep the cost of the initiative low. He added that no money had been spent on the proposed Canadian centre so far, explaining that discussions around the initiative began during his visit to Canada for a conference.
JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin said the board had already received indications of interest from more than 100 candidates who wish to sit for the UTME in Canada. The development suggests that there is an existing pool of Nigerians in Canada interested in accessing the Nigerian tertiary education system without having to return to Nigeria specifically to write the entrance examination.
JAMB already conducts the UTME in designated centres outside Nigeria, including countries in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The proposed Ottawa centre would extend that international examination network to North America. Beyond making UTME easier to access, JAMB said the Ottawa initiative could provide Nigerian tertiary institutions with greater opportunities to connect with Nigerians living abroad and showcase the country’s higher education offerings internationally.
The board said the centre would strengthen the relationship between Nigerians in the diaspora and the Nigerian education system while creating additional pathways for eligible candidates abroad to pursue tertiary education in Nigeria. The proposed centre is expected to begin operations from the 2027 UTME, subject to the completion of the necessary arrangements between JAMB and the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa.
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