Excreta were collected from 21 to 23 d and ileal content was collected from all birds. Samples of feed, excreta, and ileal content were analysed for determination of total tract retention and ileal apparent digestibility. No interactions between SBM and protease were observed. Broilers fed semi-purified diets formulated with South SBM had lower (P < 0.05) ileal digestibility of crude protein and also from most amino acids (AA) when compared with birds fed North SBM. Ileal digestible energy was increased (P < 0.01) by 0.51 MJ/kg when birds were fed the diet supplemented with protease. Indispensable and dispensable AA digestibility also increased (P < 0.05) with protease supplementation. Ileal digestibility coefficients of Met, Lys, Thr and Val were increased (P < 0.05) by 3.1%, 3.1%, 4.8%, and 3.3%, respectively when birds were fed the diet supplemented with protease. Results from this experiment show that utilisation of energy and AA from SBM depends on its origin, but protease supplementation improved their utilisation regardless of the SBM source.