The British Council in Nigeria has announced a significant 29 per cent increase in the fee for the English Language Testing System (IELTS) examinations.
Effective from February 1, 2024, Nigerians will now be required to pay N139,000 for both the Computer Academic and General Training Modules, up from the current fee of N107,500.
This adjustment comes just five months after the British Council implemented another fee increment, raising the IELTS fee from a range of N80,000 to N90,000 to the current N107,500 in September of the previous year. The Council justified the latest increase, citing a rise in the costs associated with delivering the exams in Nigeria.
In an official statement on its website, the British Council provided the new price list for various IELTS modules:
IELTS on Computer Academic and General Training Modules: ₦139,000
IELTS on Paper Academic and General Training Modules: ₦134,000
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI): ₦149,000
Life Skills: ₦130,000
One Skill Retake (O.S.R): ₦87,570
The Council emphasized that the adjustment is necessary to cover increased delivery costs and ensure the continued provision of a wide range of services and comprehensive support.
IELTS is a globally recognized English proficiency test commonly required by non-native English speakers for educational opportunities, employment, or visa approvals, particularly in countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.
The fee hike adds to the growing costs associated with the popular ‘japa’ trend in Nigeria, where individuals seek to relocate to other countries, often necessitating the completion of the IELTS examination for visa applications.
