The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Friday formally ushered in a new leadership as its outgoing Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, handed over the affairs of the examination body to his successor, Prof. Segun Aina, at the Board’s National Headquarters.
The transition ended Oloyede’s decade-long tenure, during which he said JAMB underwent sweeping reforms driven by discipline, technology, transparency and staff welfare.
Delivering a valedictory address titled “History Made, Future Beckons,” Oloyede attributed the Board’s achievements to God’s grace and the support of the Federal Government, JAMB staff and other stakeholders.
“Whatever accomplish
ments have been recorded during this period are not mine alone; they are manifestations of His infinite favour and blessings,” he said.
Reflecting on the reforms initiated under his administration, Oloyede said his 2016 inaugural theme, “Let’s do it together,” became the guiding principle of his stewardship.
He disclosed that JAMB committed over N8 billion to strengthen employees’ retirement savings, introduced retirement packages ranging from N3 million to N10 million for retiring staff, and implemented a 13th-month salary for workers.
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According to him, the Board also introduced examination duty incentives, initially pegged at 10 per cent and later increased to 20 per cent, while providing free daily meals for staff.
He added that JAMB reduced the cost of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) application forms by 30 per cent and sponsored candidates living with disabilities, as well as their guides, to examination centres.
On accountability, Oloyede revealed that more than 10 staff members were prosecuted over alleged misconduct, insisting that strict discipline contributed to JAMB’s record remittances of operational surpluses running into billions of naira to the Federal Government.
“This is why discipline is incontestable as a cardinal principle of JAMB operations and that accounts for the well-known remittances of scores of billions in operational surpluses to the government treasury,” he said.
He also highlighted technology-driven reforms introduced during his tenure, including the expansion of Computer-Based Testing (CBT), the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), biometric verification, CCTV surveillance, digital PINs and the Remote Authoring and Moderation System (RAMS).
However, Oloyede acknowledged that technology was not infallible, referring to the challenges experienced during the 2025 UTME.
“What happened last year which made me emotional was a proof that technology has its limits, just like everything human, and eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” he said.
The outgoing registrar expressed appreciation to former President Muhammadu Buhari, who appointed him, President Bola Tinubu for sustaining confidence in him, and the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, for their support.
He also thanked several state governors, including Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, for supporting JAMB with infrastructure, noting that other governors in Rivers, Ogun, Edo, Imo, Lagos, Kwara and Bayelsa also contributed land and facilities to strengthen the Board’s operations.
While taking responsibility for any shortcomings during his tenure, Oloyede appealed to stakeholders to rally behind his successor.
“For whatever was done right, it was a collective effort. For whatever was not good enough, I accept responsibility and crave your pardon,” he said.
“There is no success without a successor and they should rather support and pray for Prof. Aina’s success at this point. Prof. Aina, the sky shall be your beginning, not your limit!”
In his acceptance speech, Aina described his appointment as “a solemn call to serve one’s country” and pledged to lead the examination body with integrity, fairness and diligence.
“I assure Mr. President, and indeed everyone in Nigeria, that I shall discharge this responsibility with integrity, with fairness, diligence, and an unwavering commitment to the public good,” he said.
The new registrar thanked President Tinubu for the appointment and acknowledged the support of Education Minister Tunji Alausa and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad.
Recalling that he served as a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in JAMB nearly two decades ago, Aina described the Board as “the bridge between aspiration and opportunity for millions of young Nigerians.”
“The office I assume today does not belong to me. It belongs to every young Nigerian whose future passes through JAMB,” he said.
Aina said his administration would prioritise building enduring institutions rather than depending on individuals.
“If at the end of my stewardship, JAMB becomes less dependent on individuals and more dependent on strong systems, less vulnerable to personalities, and more resilient because of its culture, then I shall consider my service worthwhile,” he stated.
He declared that safeguarding the integrity of JAMB would remain his foremost priority, warning operators of examination malpractice and compromised CBT centres that the Board would intensify efforts to expose and prosecute offenders.
“To those who organise examination malpractice. To those who compromise CBT centres. Hear me clearly. Your business is with the wrong institution. JAMB will continue to deploy every lawful, technological, administrative, and investigative measure available to detect, deter, and prosecute examination malpractice,” he warned.
Aina also pledged to improve service delivery by reducing the stress experienced by candidates and parents.
“Every interaction with JAMB should leave a customer feeling more informed, more respected, and less anxious than when they arrived,” he said.
He urged JAMB staff to embrace innovation, challenge outdated processes and work with tertiary institutions, sister agencies and parents to strengthen the nation’s admission system.
He added that every decision under his leadership would be guided by a single question: “Will what I do today make it easier or harder for an honest Nigerian child to realise their dreams? If the answer is harder, then we must not do it.”
