Computer-Based Test (CBT) operators across Nigeria have rejected the N700 registration service charge approved by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination candidates, stating that the fee is no longer economically viable despite JAMB’s recent disbursement of N1.57bn to centres.
The Computer-Based Test Centres Proprietors Association of Nigeria, representing private operators that host UTME registration and examinations, reports that the N700 amount paid per candidate has remained unchanged for roughly a decade, while inflation, energy costs and equipment prices have increased significantly over the same period.
According to the association’s president, Austin Ohaekelem, the N700 charge was already in place when he joined the CBT scheme in 2016 and has not been reviewed, even as JAMB has introduced stricter technical and operational requirements for accreditation.
Ohaekelem states that a laptop capable of handling CBT operations for about three years now costs at least N150,000. On this basis, a centre registering 3,000 candidates would need to invest approximately N2.1m on systems alone, excluding staff salaries, diesel, rent, maintenance and repairs.
He further notes that renting a 250-seat hall in Lagos can cost between N3m and N5m annually, depending on location. In addition, centres must fund security, power backup and internet connectivity. Under these cost conditions, he argues that the N700 registration fee does not adequately cover operating expenses.
Ohaekelem also criticises the payment model. Centres do not collect the N700 directly from candidates; instead, candidates pay JAMB, which then refunds centres on a weekly basis. He contends that this arrangement can create the perception that JAMB is providing a grant, whereas centres are being reimbursed for services already delivered.
The association asserts that CBT operators are essential to Nigeria’s tertiary admissions process but are often treated as a pressure group rather than as formal stakeholders. Ohaekelem indicates that the association has written to the Minister of Education to request a review of the fee and broader recognition of CBT operators, but no response has been received to date.
JAMB maintains that its fee structure has remained unchanged since 2018 in order to protect candidates from arbitrary or excessive charges. The board states that its cashless registration system and its “No View, No Pay” policy, which withholds payment from centres whose activities cannot be monitored from Abuja, have reduced abuses and improved transparency.
Under the current framework, candidates pay a consolidated amount that covers application fees, reading text, CBT registration and examination service charges, bank fees and, where applicable, mock examination costs. JAMB then settles accredited centres after verifying their compliance with operational and monitoring requirements.
