In response to circulating reports, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) refutes claims of a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) fee increase, asserting that recent misconceptions stem from the implementation of a cashless policy rather than an actual rise in fees.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, Fabian Benjamin, Public Communication Advisor of JAMB, clarified that the cost of UTME application documents remains unchanged at N3,500, the same price established in 2018 after a reduction from N5,000.
Despite economic challenges, JAMB remains committed to providing affordable services, assuring the public that the perceived fee increase is a consequence of the board’s cashless policy.
Benjamin highlighted the board’s efforts to mitigate candidate burdens, including the decision to provide the Use of English reading text free of charge through various channels.
To prevent exploitation by unscrupulous center owners, JAMB has consolidated fees payable by candidates to Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers, ensuring that all payments are made along with application fees.
For instance, candidates are now required to pay N700 for registration, N1500 as examination fees, and N1500 for the optional Mock-UTME at privately-owned centers.
In a strategic move, JAMB will collect the registration fee of N700 from candidates, along with N1500 for the main UTME and N1500 for the optional Mock-UTME on behalf of the CBT centers, streamlining the payment process and preventing undue exploitation in line with their cashless policy.
