NASS to facilitate construction of ICT centres in all 774 LGAs – Senator

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, Muntari Dandutse, has said the National Assembly would make budgetary allocation for the construction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres in all 774 local government areas (LGAs) of the country by 2026.

Mr Dandutse, the senator for Katsina South Senatorial District, disclosed this on Friday while speaking with journalists in Abuja while monitoring of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The senator said the move was to improve the digital infrastructure for educational facilities across the country, especially examinations like the UTME.

“Since the examination is computer based, centres for it need to be made available across the 774 local government councils in the country and in doing this, this committee of the Senate in collaboration with our colleagues in the House of Representatives shall facilitate budgetary provisions for it in 2026 fiscal year,” he said.

Mr Dandutse was joined on the inspection tour by the Kogi East Senator, Jibrin Isah, and his Plateau Central counterpart, Diket Plang.

Every year, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) conducts UTME for admission to a university, polytechnic or college of education.

Over two million candidates registered for the exam for this year which marks an increase from the 1.9 million recorded in 2024.This year’s Computer-Based Test (CBT) runs from Thursday, 24 April to Monday, 5 May.

The examination is only valid for a year, and has a score range of 0–400. It is a test of knowledge, speed and accuracy. It consists of 180 questions with a time frame of two hours (120 minutes). The subject combination varies based on a candidate’s desired course of study, although English language is compulsory for all candidates.

Unlike previous years marred by system failures and logistical issues, the 2025 UTME has so far been described by candidates and observers as largely smooth and glitches-free.

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PREMIUM TIMES had reported the situation in Lagos, Enugu and Abuja.

Making UTME easier for candidates

Mr Dandutse, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said there’s a need for more ICT centres in each local government to make the UTME easier for candidates.

“In making it easy for candidates seeking admissions into Universities or other tertiary Institutions through UTME , the ICT centres must be made available in all the 774 local government councils across the country.”

The senator expressed concern that only two of the 11 local government areas in his Katsina South Senatorial District currently have ICT centres suitable for the UTME.

“I am from Katsina South Senatorial District where only two out of the 11 local government councils have ICT centres for UTME.”

Exam centres not enough

Earlier, the JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin, told the senator that the examination body operates 880 accredited ICT centres across the country.

“JAMB presently has close to 900 ICT centres across the country and in fact precisely 880 centres which, however, do not cover all the 774 local government councils across the country”

“JAMB shall be happy if the committee facilitates budgetary provisions for establishment of ICT centres in local government councils across the country that are yet to have one “, he said

This number falls short of covering all LGAs, leaving many students to travel long distances to sit the examination, an issue that has contributed to low participation and exam-day stress in rural areas.

The JAMB’s spokesperson also addressed concerns about system reliability during the CBT exams, assuring the lawmakers that the technological setup has been designed to minimise disruptions and ensure fairness.