The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced an ambitious Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) target of N23.8 billion for the 2026 fiscal year.
This was disclosed on Wednesday in Abuja by Muftau Bello, a Director in the Registrar’s office, during the defence of the board’s 2026 budget estimates before the Senate.
JAMB officials appeared before the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to present their financial projections and plans for the coming year.
N30.6bn Budget Proposal
According to Bello, the board has proposed a total budget of N30.6 billion for 2026. Out of this figure, N23.8 billion is expected to be generated internally, while N6 billion will be remitted to the Federation Account as operating surplus.
He further revealed that in 2025, JAMB generated N18.5 billion as IGR and remitted N4 billion to the Federation Account — reflecting a significant projected increase for 2026.
Expansion of CBT Centres Nationwide
On preparations for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, Bello disclosed that 1,000 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres have now been established across the country.
These centres are in addition to the 800 CBT centres created in 2025, bringing further expansion to Nigeria’s digital examination infrastructure.
Lawmakers Push for Lower UTME Fees
During the session, Amos Yohanna Amos urged JAMB to consider reducing the UTME registration fee, highlighting the economic hardship faced by families in rural communities.
He noted that many students struggle to raise registration funds, which in turn limits their educational aspirations.
In response, Bello explained that under the current leadership, the UTME registration fee was already reduced from N5,000 to N3,500, easing the financial burden on candidates.
Senate Committee Commends JAMB
Members of the committee expressed satisfaction with the board’s performance, commending JAMB for what they described as effective stewardship and responsible management of its mandate.
The board’s revenue growth and expanded CBT infrastructure were cited as key indicators of progress.
