The Federal Government has earmarked more than ₦1.3 billion for the construction, furnishing, renovation, and equipping of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Nigeria.

This is contained in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, which outlines several ongoing capital projects focused on strengthening CBT and ICT infrastructure to improve the delivery of standardised examinations nationwide.

The proposed projects are spread across multiple states, including Rivers, Lagos, Abia, Ondo, and Gombe, and are designed to expand access to properly equipped and reliable CBT facilities.

⸻

Breakdown Of The Proposed Allocations

Details from the budget document indicate that a total of ₦1,326,850,000 has been distributed across six major projects aimed at boosting JAMB’s CBT and ICT capacity.
    •    ₦420 million has been allocated under project code ERGP30236070 for the construction and equipping of JAMB standard ICT centres in Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area, Ondo South Senatorial District, Ondo State.
    •    ₦336.7 million is earmarked under project code ERGP29239674 for the supply of computers and internet services to JAMB CBT centres in Eric Moore and the ICT centre at Epe Grammar School, Lagos. This allocation covers multiple project lots.
    •    ₦280 million has been provided under project code ERGP29243195 for the construction and furnishing of a JAMB CBT centre in Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State.

⸻

Other JAMB CBT And ICT Projects

Additional allocations captured in the 2026 budget include:
    •    ₦175 million under project code ERGP29244411 for the construction and equipping of an ICT and JAMB centre in Balanga Local Government Area, Gombe State.
    •    ₦87.15 million under project code ERGP23225152 for the renovation and upgrading of ICT infrastructure used for JAMB registration, aimed at improving system stability and reliability during peak examination and registration periods.
    •    ₦28 million under project code ERGP1246643 for the construction and furnishing of the Oloko JAMB CBT centre in Oloko, Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia Central District.

⸻

Why This Matters

The proposed spending comes amid heightened scrutiny of JAMB’s CBT system following a turbulent 2025 UTME cycle.

Last year’s examination was affected by widespread technical failures and operational irregularities at several CBT centres. These issues reportedly disrupted testing in hundreds of centres and impacted roughly 380,000 candidates, with some experiencing errors that affected their results.

Beyond technical faults, the 2025 UTME also attracted criticism over logistics and candidate inconvenience.
    •    Many candidates were required to travel long distances to sit for the examination, often outside their local environments.
    •    Although JAMB maintained that candidates were generally allowed to choose their preferred examination towns, the limited number of fully accredited CBT centres meant that some were assigned to towns farther away than expected.

In response, JAMB late last year began accrediting 848 CBT centres nationwide ahead of the 2026 UTME, as part of efforts to strengthen technical readiness and enforce standardisation.

The Board also delisted several centres that failed to meet required technical benchmarks and recommended sanctions for centres found guilty of examination infractions, in a bid to protect the integrity of the UTME process.

⸻

What You Should Know

Computer-based testing is increasingly adopted globally for its ability to curb examination malpractice and deliver faster result processing.
    •    In Nigeria, the Federal Government has directed that major national examinations — including those conducted by WAEC and NECO — transition fully to CBT by 2026, as part of a broader effort to improve exam integrity and align with international best practices.
    •    However, the shift has generated debate. Education stakeholders argue that Nigeria may not yet possess the infrastructure and digital readiness required for a seamless nationwide CBT rollout.
    •    Key concerns include unreliable electricity supply, weak internet connectivity, and inadequate access to functional computers, especially in rural areas and public schools. Critics warn that these gaps could deepen educational inequality if not addressed alongside CBT expansion.

Students and educators have also expressed worries about preparedness, noting that many candidates still lack basic computer skills and that technical disruptions during exams can heighten stress and unfairly disadvantage those with limited prior exposure to digital testing environments.

⸻

Bottom line: the ₦1.3 billion CBT investment signals a serious attempt to fix a visibly strained system. Whether it actually delivers smoother, fairer UTME exams in 2026 will depend less on budget headlines — and more on execution, quality control, and ruthless enforcement of technical standards.