The British Council in Nigeria has again increased the fee for the English Language Testing System (IELTS) examinations by 29%.
According to the Council, Nigerians will now pay the sum of N139,000 for the Computer Academic and General Training Modules from February 1, 2024.
The price was jerked up from the N107,500 currently being paid for the exam that many Nigerians require to travel abroad.
This development comes five months after the Council implemented another increment. The fee for the IELTS, which used to be between N80,000 to N90,000 was increased to N107,500 in September last year.
Why does the price have to go up?
Announcing the increment via a statement on its website, the Council said the increment was due to the rise in the costs of delivering the exams in Nigeria. The announcement reads:
- “We would like to inform you that there has been a review of our IELTS fees. The new price list of the IELTS range of tests offered by the British Council will be effective for registrations on or after 1 February 2024.
- “The new prices will be: 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 change in price is associated with the increased costs in the delivery of our exams. This will enable us to continue to offer a wide range of services and comprehensive support to enable you to achieve your goals. Thank you for choosing the British Council.”
What you should know
IELTS is widely embraced globally by non-native English speakers and serves as evidence of their language proficiency. It is a collaborative effort between the British Council, Cambridge English Language Assessment, and IDP Education Australia for those seeking educational opportunities, employment, or visa approvals in the UK, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.
In the wake of the ongoing ‘japa’ trend in the country, many Nigerians are compelled to write this exam if they want to acquire a visa to any of the countries that have made it a mandatory requirement.
The latest increment adds an extra cost to the costs of ‘japa’ that have gone up astronomically in recent times with the devaluation of the Nigerian currency.