Nigeria’s university entrance examination body has rejected reports claiming it has increased the cost of registering for its main national test.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) described the reports as “false, misleading and entirely unfounded”, saying there has been no change to the fees for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a statement released on Friday and seen by Truthlive news media, JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said the approved fees remain ₦7,200 for UTME candidates, ₦8,700 for UTME with the optional mock examination, and ₦5,700 for Direct Entry applicants.
He explained that the total cost covers several services, including the application form, a compulsory reading text, computer-based test centre charges, bank fees and, where applicable, the mock examination.
According to JAMB, the current fee structure has remained unchanged since 2019, despite rising operational costs.
“It is pertinent to recall that in 2018, the Federal Executive Council approved a reduction in the UTME application fee from N5,000 to N3,500, with effect from the 2019 registration exercise,” he stated.
“Since the government-approved reduction, the Board has maintained the same fee structure without any increase, despite rising operational costs.”
JAMB urged candidates and parents to rely only on information published through its official platforms and warned against falling victim to unauthorised centres or individuals.
It also appealed to candidates who may have been charged more than the approved amount to report such cases, promising swift investigation and disciplinary action where misconduct is confirmed.
