Nigerians to pay ₦285,000 for IELTS exams starting March 1st

The British Council in Nigeria has again increased the price of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams to ₦285,000 per sitting, marking a 173 percent increase in just 1 month.

The increment is expected to take effect March 1, 2024 and will be “subject to review based on the prevailing market dynamics,” the Council says.

In February, the Nigerian British Council hiked the IELTS fees by 29% to ₦139,000, a move that spawned revolts from displeased aspiring travellers in Nigeria.

The Council has now raised the exam fees again a month after by over 100 percent, citing Nigeria’s economic situation as the reason.

“The change in fees is due to the evolving market dynamics and 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 achieve your goals,” the Nigerian British Council wrote on its website.

As per the new pricing, IELTS fees for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is now priced at ₦285,500, while IELTS exam for life skills (A1 and B1) will now cost ₦249,000.

Computer-based academic and general training modules now cost ₦266,000, while the paper-based academic and general training modules are now ₦256,500.

IELTS is one the neccesities for Nigerians aspiring to study abroad, and a major requiremnt from top universities. Many colleges worldwide require IELTS scores as part of their admission process, and without a satisfactory IELTS result, it can be challenging to secure a spot in foreign educational institutions.

Countries like the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand recognize IELTS for Nigerian immigrants.

Additionally, professional bodies in fields like accounting, engineering, law, medicine, and teaching accept IELTS scores for registration.

In February, when the naira hit its lowest, the Central Bank of Nigeria engaged transparent pricing of the dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) and higher interest rates on treasury bills to attract dollar inflows and help stabilise the naira.

The move wasn’t sustainable, as the currency resumed its free-fall last week, closing at a new low of ₦1,665.50 per US dollar at the official market.

The Council’s statement about the fees being “subject to review based on the prevailing market dynamics” indicates that there could be another increment if the naira does not recover, and quickly.

Recovery has begun, however, as the naira on Thursday appreciated against the dollar for the second straight day since the increase in the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by the Central Bank of Nigeria, gaining 0.90 percent on the day as the dollar was quoted at ₦1,595.11