JAMB 2025: Parents, Candidates Decry High Accommodation and Feeding Fees at CBT Centre in Abia State

Some parents and candidates sitting for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have raised serious concerns over the high cost of accommodation and feeding charged by one of the accredited CBT centres in Abia State.

The centre, located at Amadeus University, Amizi, Ikwuano Local Government Area, has been accused of exploiting candidates, especially those scheduled for the 6:30AM session, by demanding exorbitant fees for basic services.

₦10,000 for a Night’s Bed Space

Parents who spoke with journalists disclosed that candidates, many of whom traveled from Aba and Owerri, were charged ₦10,000 per person for a single night’s bed space.
Some wards were reportedly made to share a room, with each still paying ₦10,000, making it ₦20,000 per room for two candidates.

This high accommodation fee forced many parents to spend heavily, with some reporting expenses of up to ₦50,000 covering transportation, feeding, and accommodation, just to ensure their children could sit for their UTME.

₦2,500 for a Single Meal

In addition to the accommodation fees, candidates were allegedly charged ₦2,500 per meal, with little to no alternative options available due to the remoteness of the centre.

Parents accused the CBT centre of taking advantage of candidates who were not familiar with the area, leaving them with no choice but to pay the high prices for food and lodging.

Parents React with Anger and Frustration

Parents like Mrs Charity and Mr Clement expressed deep regret for not conducting thorough checks before the exam day.
They lamented how their wards were moved far away from their places of residence despite the existence of CBT centres closer to home.

“If I had known the kind of money I would spend, I would have asked my daughter to wait till the next JAMB year,” one parent said bitterly.
“It appears that some people are using JAMB as a business opportunity. Why post candidates to a faraway centre when there are CBT centres available in Aba?”

They called on JAMB management to:

• Screen CBT centres more carefully before approving them.
• Consider the location of candidates when assigning centres.
• Partner with public institutions like Abia Polytechnic, which have better facilities and are more accessible.

Efforts to Get Response from the Centre Failed

Attempts to reach the management of Amadeus University for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

Other Issues During the Exam

In other parts of Abia State, particularly in Umuahia and Aba, some candidates also faced issues with thumbprint verification.
JAMB officials at the centres said efforts were being made to resolve the problems, and affected candidates would be rescheduled if necessary.

Unconfirmed reports also indicated that a generator failure at one CBT centre in Aba disrupted the exam after candidates had already started.

Final Words

The frustrations expressed by parents and candidates show that while JAMB has made progress in organizing computer-based exams, more work still needs to be done to ensure fairness, accessibility, and protection of candidates from unnecessary exploitation.

JAMB is urged to take these complaints seriously to restore public confidence and protect the dreams of young Nigerians seeking higher education.