There is a problem with the registration of our students from this part of the world for the TOEFL exams and I’ll like to discus it with you. It mostly has to do with the Chinua Achebean one-finger-bring-oil-stain-others scenario. It makes one very sad that the reason why we get sidelined by the rest of the world is that there are some among us who actually do certain unscrupulous things.
For the benefit of those who may not understand why I’m this unhappy, perhaps should take a look at some of the contributions I’ve made on this forum concerning the educational station in Nigeria. What is going on is that there are people who are so fed up with the way it is that they would rather go to school elsewhere. By that elsewhere I mean that they have to go abroad and by that kind of abroad I mean to countries like the US, UK, Canada, Egypt, Ghana and sometimes to Mauritania. For you to go to school ‘abroad’ you have to have enough money and pass certain standardized tests like the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, depending on what level of academic pursuit you are interested in. But all of this is not a problem: for decades and as far as I can remember our students have taken these exams, done very well and have gone to school abroad.
But suddenly, we fear that our students no longer can register for these exams, particularly the TOEFL computer based exam from Lagos, Nigeria. Go to the TOEFL webpage and Nigeria is blacklisted as one country where you cannot register this exam. If you have to register for the Computer based test the ETS will only accept International money orders, authorization vouchers from ETS, UNESCO coupons and international money order. Now if that doesn’t embarrass you, I don’t know what else to say.If you have not found out why Nigerians have been barred from registering online with credit cards for this exam, please know that some Nigerians mostly in Lagos shot us all in the leg when they began to use fake credit cards to register online.
Very recently, the Nigerian agency contracted by the ETS in Lagos to superintend the registration of these exams itself misbehaved. The body, Touché Limited, collected lots of monies from nearly all the candidates within and without the South West, South-South and South-Eastern parts of this country but didn’t remit the funds to the ETS as it should have done. Consequently, all of those who registered for the TOEFL exam late last year missed their dates and the exam. This was why Touché lost its deal with the ETS to register the SATers, TOEFLers, and GMATers to another educational outfit in Port Harcourt. Its name is African International Services.
Yet again, I don’t see any reason why the ETSC should not try to put its house in order by contracting the registration of TOEFL to Africa Independent Services in faraway Port Harcourt. However what we find a little unsettling is the fact that for every little inquiry or the other you have to make concerning the registration for the TOEFL, it must be made in Port Harcourt. This is because Africa International Services has only one phone 048 487 165 that’s eternally telling you the subscriber cannot be reached. Well then, we try to get in touch via email to find out what their service charges are apart from the fee for the TOEFL put at $140.00 but that email ( e arugulu@testsupport.org) has never gone through, at least for the number of times we’ve tried from our end here in Lagos. We have no intention of holding brief for Touché but we want to cast our minds back and recollect that whenever we wanted to get in touch with them from any part of the country, it was easy. I guess this was because they had more than five phone lines, several brochures and a hotline that you could reach at any time of the day and sometimes at night. I think the ETS should look at that Africa International Service email they left on their webpage – it seems as though something is wrong with it or that it should have been earugulu@testsupport.org or something else.
The way things are now my organization is at its wits end. My students have to register for the March TOEFL tests but that means we must travel to Port Harcourt with a lot of money in anticipation of service charges, hotel bills, and transport within the town of Port Harcourt. We know this is not just our problem but one that every other organization, agency, parent and individuals interested in the TOEFL is having here in Lagos. My suggestion to the College Board is that they must democratize and allow other agencies like the USIS or the British Council and some embassies handle sensitive matters like these for them.
If our educational journey in Nigeria has somewhat ended in a cul-de-sac, I don’t think it is fair to continue to slow down those who have decided to travel out on account of insignificant matters of logistics.
Thank you very much for your time.
44 comments
I think these E-global Tech people have taken this too far. You go around forums posting evil things about FNG Center when it is easy for people to see that You are substandard to FNG Center. I would advice that people visit fngcenter.com, and go to their office to see all the lies these E-Global Tech people and Sunrise Academy in Liason with Study Abroad Institute tell…. how many names do you have????.
Is it proper that you post this evil stuff about people so as to cajole people to your own side???
E-global tech. You are a disgrace to Nigeria.
I think e-Global Tech at Bariga is the best all my sisters tested there without any problem
when will FNG refund me. You people can not delever the test I paid for and uptil now no refund. Do I need to contact the exam body b4 you pay me?
It has been an enjoyable experience reading this but I am still as confused as ever. Is it FNG center or Baltidon? Which is better? Which has a higher % rate? Which is authentic?. Please help
i can best advice us to help give nigeria a good image. no one knows any of us but nigeria is known abroad and we are all graded same way for the bad characters of the few. in this light, i will encourage Baltidon to make sincere investigation into the issues raised or Ramat and others to report to police or efcc if armed with adequate facts to proof their case. it is not impossible for staffs doing making deals not known to the company and in the name of the company. this is for us all to be recognised outside as trusted individuals and not otherwise
To me e-Global Technologies is the best check them on eglobaltechng.com they are in Lagos, Abuja, Benin and ile-Ife.
The best center now for Tutorials I think is First New Generation Study center. The owner is an American, Michelle. They are located somewhere in GRA Ikeja. They have a 100% success track record. You can visit their website, fngcenter.com
you need to backup your claims with proofs, As the new Group Head Marketing Operations I wonder what image you sell of one of my subsidiaries and i think yemi might have a case (credit card issues could go very BAD but i still doubt it), As for angela he who goes to the alter goes with clean hands; i know you are learned 400,000 naira for what?????? is processing studies abroad or TOEFL? Post scanned copies and lets trash it out if it exists thou; Well Pls for other willing to take the exam go to prometrics site ets.org/toefl and checkout registered testing centers and follow due process.
For those accusing Baltidon Consulting of fraud, even though I am indifferent, I find these allegations very unfair and unreasonable. On the ETS official website, there are only two resource centres for in-person registration, of which,Baltidon Consulting is one. If these allegations of fraud are anything to go by, any reasonable fellow would expect that ETS would have removed Baltidon Consulting from their list of accredited Resource Centres long ago. Alas, today is Nov 7 2009, and their name still stands on the ETS website. Please and please people, let us desist from all these cheap attempts to ridicule one another for our own selfish gains.
Best Regards.
Hello, this is WISDOMFIELD GROUP. An educational consultancy outfit registered with the education ministry,Osun state, Nigeria and the Corporate Affairs commission. We majorly process admission into UK universities (in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland) for both undergraduate and Postgraduate studies as well as admission processing into Tuition free universities in Finland, Sweden, Norway e.tc. For contacts or enquiries email: peter.adewole@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
you can try ntc tutorial, lagos call them on 08023623639
or visit them at 145 idimu road ,seliat b/stop, egbeda, lagos
I am from Aba, where can i register for Toefl in Aba……anonymous
All of you guys who insist that you’ve been defrauded, please leave your phone numbers here with me. I would love to get in touch with you and investigate with a view to get to the bottom of these allegations. My number is 07031068186.
Liers!!! U think I don’t know u all. Go to TOEFL website credit card is acceptable from any country, just that only visa /one other card is acceptable from Nigeria. God will judge u people. I should come so that u can arrange me and kill me? To hell with u people
Ramat pls come to the office & claim your refunds with any penalty if all this are true.firstly credit card is not acceptable from Nigerians , so the issue of credit card scam is far from it, however your name was missing from our records in the office.please i smell rat somewhere but if u re not a scam yourself pls feel free to officially lay your complaint & pls stop all this blackmailling, i may not know you , even the company may not be able to identify you but sure God can do all this , kindly be fair to us.God bless
my name is FEMI , i work for baltidon consulting ltd, dear Ramat am really sorry for experience, how am a senior staff of baltidon consulting and one of my duties is to oversea the registration that comes in and i ve checked my records and your name was not there , please i will appreciate if u can come up with your registration number & the date you wrote the test , i promised to personally see to your case i can even refund you up-front before concluding my investigation into your allegation.thanks for your co-operation
Ramat please give your full name so we can be sure of you aligation ,i am using this medium to tell you that you are lieing against baltidon , please if they have duped you please go-ahead to Area G command in Ogba and report stop spoiling the companies name all in the name of nothing. this country has authorities so you are only lieing . please defend your aligation and be bold enough to report to the authorities so they can find us gulity and lets us face the rot of the government .
Let me use this medium to notify you all that Baltidon Consulting in Ogba (Opp. Celtel) is just a fraudulet organisation, they use fake credit card for me and my result has not been released up till now. Olayiwola Abimbola, Femi, Tola, and one hakeem dupe me of $500 for online payment for my school application, GRE registration and TOEFL. All to know that they used fake credit card for me. It was my uncle in the USA that settled the bill later. Beware of them.
Comment already made.I have found the ph location.If only Nigerians could stop scamming maybe they won’t need the rebranding stuff anymore
I don’t know what to say please the centre in Port hacourt that sounds to be at least reliable How do I get the address? I should sit for Toefl but I guess 2010 march>>>dimmicheal@yahoo.com for anyone who knows
I am surpised at the comments by omolasho, my name is Mr femi olaoye, i am a staff of batidon. For your information baltidon is a certified partner of ETS, and will not stoop low to do such debious acts. However i encourage you to come to our office with evidence of the ETS correspondence which you claim, we will sort it out, there must be a mistake somewhere, call&contact me at 07038540187, olaoyeorisha@yahoo.com.
I agree with you,sunrise academy ripped off my little cousin,he lost close to 400000 naira.when we got to 16 olaolu street,there was no exams,the guy there was nasty and till date the money spent has not been recouped
I did my registration for TOEFL with Baltidon Consulting but after the exam ETS called me that Baltidon use fake credit card to register me.
Please adebambo, do not go there, they are fraudulent and dubios. My result has not been released up till now
i wish to know where i can register for toefl and also the amunt involved, pls the centre must be reliable
pls, does any one know if there is any center in the north which is accredited for TOEFL?
Good afternoon , have you ever tried baltidon consulting , they are ETS authorised resourse center written on ets website Abimbola olayiwola is the name of the guy incharge, just type is name on google and you will get to know what he can do for you regrding registration of TOEFL.SAT ,GRE.GMAT in nigeria
honestly i’m impressed with what i have read so far. but please i just want to register and i do not have any experience relating to the registration, could you please help me out by telling me the actual amount im to spend and the requirements for the exams.
adebambo. lagos
Good Article, I almost got swindled by Touche myself.
Their agent in their Abuja center told me to pay N40,000 ($335) for GRE registration/Exam and N35,000 ($295) for TOEFL
You can visit there website for the email http://www.thesunriseacademy.com, but you can try info@thesunriseacademy.com
so did touche try returning the money it collected from candidates? if otherwise, were they prosecuted or forced to do so? i heard they were collecting money but not offering exams. history will keep repeating itself if people are not made accountable
plesae does Sunrise Academy have reliable email?
Hi,
please i want to know more about the Toefl exams include all the necessary materials
Well,i need to inform u.I registered with olaolu sometimes ago.Toefl seized my result because Sunrise Academy used a credit card there was no money in it .If not of my links i would not know the truth.They kept telling come today come tommorrow.I hope by now they would have change there altitude having known that everybody is not a fool.I have a lot of respect for them but i was dissappointed resulting in unwarranted delay for my academic activity.I wish u all the best.
Try Sunrise Academy at 16 Olaolu Street, Isolo, Lagos or call them on 08056060811, 08038572459. I registered for my TOEFL with them and also received my coaching with accomodation. I sat for the exam at the center on the 1st of march, 2008 because the center is an approved Ibt TOEFL center. I think you will love dealing with them. Wale Odulami
registring for toefl will cost me how much, please filled me with toefl centre in lagos. thank you
mmmm this is big problem and somethings needs to be done…how do u register for my toefl
Try Sunrise Academy at 16 Olaolu Street, Isolo, Lagos or call them on 08056060811, 08038572459.
I registered for my TOEFL with them and also received my coaching with accomodation. I sat for the exam at the center on the 1st of march, 2008 because the center is an approved Ibt TOEFL center.
I think you will love dealing with them.
Wale Odulami
Anyone know a coaching class for SATs, TOEFL on the Island?How much do they cost too
you might try sharperedge at
1st floor, Aret Adams House, 233 Ikorodu Road (after Town Planning)
Lagos, Nigeria.
(At the reception desk, ask for directions to Vovall Technologies)
Phone: 01-7432044; 0803-063-0697
never used them, but someone recommended the. good luck
this article is great,well do u have any useful information on how prospsective student for toefl 2008 can register and where in lagos we can pay and take the exams or is there an alternative test?
Thanks
this article is OK. But I still dont have a link to how I can register for the TOEFL examination for 2008.
ets should do something urgently about this issue.
The toefl will not allow you to register using a credit card with a Nigerian billing address (I guess because of fraud) but if you have a credit card opened in the US then you can register students even if they are taking the exam in Nigeria. I wasn't aware that Touche could no longer register students though – they are still listed as a test center by ETS.
whao!!! great article and informative.Its a pity touche betray the confidence repose in them.African international services should please do the right thing.I would send email to ets on my fustration in registering from abuja.