The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Friday, July 31, 2026 ushered in a new era as Professor Is-haq Oloyede handed over to his successor, Professor Segun Aina, after an eventful 10-year tenure. In this analysis, OWEDE AGBAJILEKE examines Oloyede’s legacy, the highs and lows of his administration, and the challenges that lie ahead for the new JAMB boss.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) turned a significant page in its history yesterday as Professor Is-haq Oloyede formally handed over the leadership of Nigeria’s foremost admissions agency to his successor, Professor Segun Aina, bringing an eventful tenure spanning nearly a decade to a close.
The handover signalled far more than a ceremonial change of guard. It marked the beginning of a new chapter for an institution that occupies a critical position in Nigeria’s education system, regulating the admission process into universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions.
Every year, millions of candidates rely on the Board for access to higher education, making its credibility and efficiency central to public confidence in the nation’s education sector. As one of Nigeria’s most strategic public institutions, JAMB’s leadership transition carries enormous significance for students, parents, tertiary institutions and policymakers.
While Prof. Oloyede leaves office with a reputation as one of the Board’s most reform-oriented Registrars, his successor, Professor Segun Aina, inherits an organisation facing fresh technological, operational and policy challenges that will test his leadership from the outset.
When Oloyede assumed office in August 2016, JAMB was grappling with public distrust, allegations of widespread examination malpractice, poor accountability and inefficiencies in its admission processes. Although the Board had already migrated to Computer-Based Testing (CBT), questions remained about the integrity of the examination system, leakages and the management of public funds.
Within a few years, he embarked on an ambitious reform agenda that transformed the agency. One of his biggest achievements was restoring confidence in JAMB’s finances. Under his leadership, the Board consistently remitted more than N50 billion as operating surplus to the Federation Account during his 10-year tenure as Registrar, a sharp departure from previous years when remittances were relatively insignificant. The financial turnaround became one of the defining features of his administration and earned widespread commendation from government officials and anti-corruption advocates.
Another major milestone was the strengthening of the CBT examination model. Through tighter monitoring, accreditation of centres, biometric verification and technological innovations, JAMB significantly reduced opportunities for impersonation and examination malpractice. The Board became more aggressive in blacklisting centres involved in fraudulent practices while introducing stricter quality assurance measures across accredited CBT centres nationwide.
Oloyede also pursued transparency in the admission process through the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS), which made admissions more visible and significantly reduced arbitrary admissions by tertiary institutions. The system ensured that candidates could monitor their admission status while institutions followed clearly defined admission procedures. The initiative enhanced accountability and curbed many of the irregularities that previously characterised admissions into higher institutions. Another notable reform was the regular review of examination procedures to improve candidates’ experience. Innovations such as mock examinations, enhanced biometric verification, simplified registration processes and better integration with other government agencies contributed to making JAMB’s operations more efficient.
The Board also strengthened collaboration with security agencies to combat examination fraud syndicates. Under Oloyede, JAMB became increasingly data-driven. The Board began publishing detailed statistics on candidates’ performance, gender distribution, state participation and admission patterns, providing valuable information for education planning and policy formulation.
These datasets have become important references for researchers, government agencies and education stakeholders. His administration also demonstrated a willingness to acknowledge institutional shortcomings. During the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), technical glitches affected candidates in some centres, particularly in parts of Lagos and the South-East. Rather than dismissing public concerns, Oloyede publicly accepted responsibility, apologised to affected candidates and ordered a resit examination.
Many stakeholders described the decision as a rare demonstration of accountability in Nigeria’s public service. Perhaps no episode better illustrated the rot Prof. Oloyede inherited at organisation than the infamous “snake swallowed the money” scandal. In 2018, a sales clerk at JAMB’s Benue State office claimed that a mysterious snake had swallowed N36 million realised from the sale of e-registration scratch cards, a development that attracted widespread ridicule and became a metaphor for the culture of impunity in some public institutions.
Although the incident predated the reforms instituted by Oloyede’s administration, it underscored the depth of the financial leakages within the examination body. Rather than dismissing the matter as mere comedy, Oloyede used it to push for stricter financial controls, deeper digitisation of JAMB’s operations and greater accountability in revenue management.
No assessment of Prof. Oloyede’s tenure would be complete without mentioning the controversy surrounding Mmesoma Ejikeme. The incident, which sparked a nationwide debate in 2023, centred on the candidate’s claim of scoring 362 in the UTME, contrary to JAMB’s records which showed she scored 249. However, investigations by the Board and an independent panel set up by the Anambra State Government vindicated JAMB’s position that the result had been manipulated.
Consequently, the agency withdrew Mmesoma’s 2023 UTME result and imposed a three-year ban on her from participating in its examinations—a sanction that expired in July 2026. Beyond testing Oloyede’s leadership and the Board’s crisis management capacity, the incident reinforced JAMB’s commitment to technology-driven verification systems and informed subsequent policy decisions aimed at strengthening examination security and curbing result fraud.
Yet, despite these achievements, Oloyede’s tenure was not without controversy. Perhaps the biggest challenge throughout his administration remained the persistent sophistication of examination malpractice. While JAMB introduced increasingly advanced technological safeguards, fraud syndicates also evolved, deploying Artificial Intelligence, identity theft, remote access technologies and organised cheating networks to circumvent security measures. The battle against examination fraud became a continuous race between innovation and criminal ingenuity. The Board also faced criticism over periodic technical failures that disrupted examinations.
The 2025 UTME technical glitches represented one of the lowest moments of Oloyede’s tenure, where he broke down in tears during a press briefing to apologise for technical errors and distorted results affecting nearly 380,000 candidates, attracting nationwide criticism and raising concerns about the resilience of the examination body’s technological infrastructure.
Although the Board conducted a resit and accepted responsibility, the incident underscored the enormous risks associated with conducting one of Africa’s largest computer-based examinations. There were also recurring complaints from candidates regarding registration challenges, delayed profile generation, network failures, difficulties with biometric verification and occasional errors in examination scheduling.
While many of these problems were eventually resolved, they highlighted the pressure placed on the agency’s digital systems by millions of applicants within a relatively short registration window.
Another contentious issue involved the annual debate over admission cut-off marks. Every admission cycle witnessed disagreements among parents, education experts and institutions over whether the approved minimum scores adequately reflected academic standards. Although JAMB merely coordinated decisions reached collectively with tertiary institutions during the annual policy meeting, public criticism often fell on the Board.
Despite these shortcomings, many education analysts agree that the former Registrar left behind a stronger institution than the one he inherited. His administration demonstrated that public institutions can embrace transparency, technology and accountability while improving service delivery.
The appointment of 40-year-old Professor Aina therefore comes with considerable expectations. Stakeholders expect the new Registrar to consolidate the reforms already introduced while addressing the emerging weaknesses exposed during recent examination cycles. One of his immediate priorities will be strengthening JAMB’s technological infrastructure to prevent future system failures capable of disrupting examinations affecting millions of candidates.
Education experts also want greater investment in cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence-driven monitoring systems to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated examination fraud syndicates. As technology evolves rapidly, JAMB will need to continuously upgrade its systems and personnel to protect the credibility of its examinations. Parents and candidates equally expect improvements in customer service. Complaints relating to registration difficulties, delayed responses to candidates’ enquiries and technical issues at CBT centres have persisted over the years. Enhancing communication channels and ensuring faster resolution of complaints will likely rank among Aina’s immediate tasks.
Another expectation is closer collaboration with tertiary institutions to improve the efficiency of the admission process. While CAPS has significantly enhanced transparency, delays in admissions, inconsistencies in institutional requirements and prolonged admission exercises continue to frustrate many applicants. Stakeholders believe stronger coordination can make admissions more predictable and timely.
There is also growing demand for increased regulation of CBT centres. Although JAMB has sanctioned erring operators over the years, reports of poor facilities, unstable electricity supply and inadequate technical support persist in some locations. Ensuring uniform standards across centres countywide will be critical to sustaining public confidence.
Beyond examinations, many stakeholders believe JAMB should continue expanding its role as a repository of education data. With millions of candidates passing through its systems annually, the Board possesses one of the country’s richest education databases. Better utilisation of these data could support evidence-based policymaking, manpower planning and reforms across Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
The new Registrar will also have to navigate an increasingly complex policy environment. Rising demand for university admission, limited admission spaces, changing technology, demographic growth and growing public scrutiny mean that expectations from JAMB have never been higher.
In a chat with The Guardian, the Public Relations Officer, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), David Obidah, said the administration of Prof. Oloyede would be remembered for its significant contributions to the transformation of Nigeria’s examination system, particularly the transition from predominantly paper-based examinations to a technology-driven process. He said the achievements recorded under Oloyede’s leadership deserve recognition and commendation, noting that the reforms have improved the efficiency, transparency and credibility of the country’s admission process.
“However, while acknowledging these milestones, it is equally important to note that some policy decisions under the administration generated concerns within the education sector. Of particular concern is the reduction in the JAMB minimum admission benchmark, which, in my view, has implications for academic standards and the overall integrity of the tertiary education system,” he said.
On his expectations from the new Registrar, Obidah said the new leadership should focus on consolidating the gains already achieved while pursuing further reforms aimed at strengthening the Board’s operations. According to him, Aina should consolidate JAMB’s technology-driven reforms by building on the existing digital examination infrastructure and further modernising the Board’s operations through innovative and efficient technologies. He also urged the new JAMB boss to strategically integrate AI into JAMB’s operations by exploring its responsible application in areas such as examination monitoring, malpractice detection, candidate verification, data protection and operational efficiency.
The NANS spokesperson further called for measures to strengthen examination integrity and standards by reviewing policies affecting admission standards, including the minimum admission benchmark, with a view to improving academic quality and restoring greater confidence in Nigeria’s educational system.
He added that enhanced data security should remain a priority, stressing the need to strengthen the protection of candidates’ personal and examination data through modern cybersecurity systems and robust data governance practices.
Without a doubt, leadership transitions offer opportunities for renewal rather than rupture. For Professor Oloyede, the end of his tenure represents the conclusion of an administration widely recognised for restoring credibility, improving transparency and modernising one of Nigeria’s most sensitive public institutions. For Professor Aina, however, the real work begins now. Pundits say Aina’s success will not merely be measured by his ability to preserve the legacy of his predecessor but by his capacity to anticipate future challenges, deepen ongoing reforms and ensure that JAMB continues to deliver fair, transparent and credible admissions for millions of Nigerian students.
In an education system where access to tertiary education remains fiercely competitive, the credibility of JAMB will continue to shape not only individual aspirations but also national confidence in the integrity of Nigeria’s education sector.
