JAMB defends ₦1.1 billion meal budget for staff

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has defended its proposal to allocate ₦1.1 billion for staff meals in its 2025 budget, describing it as a measure to enhance productivity and protect sensitive ICT infrastructure.

The budget defence took place on 13 January 2025 before the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Finance.

Fabian Benjamin, JAMB’s spokesperson, stated that the initiative, which will provide daily meals for all 2,300 staff members nationwide, including cleaners and security personnel, was designed to address longstanding requests from employees in outstation offices.

He noted that the programme also reduces staff exposure to public spaces during work hours, safeguarding the operational environment.

“Providing meals is crucial given the sensitive responsibilities of our staff. This initiative minimises their exposure to public spaces and mitigates risks posed to ICT infrastructure by food consumption in the offices,” Benjamin said.

Over the past two years, JAMB headquarters staff have been receiving meals at a cost of ₦1,200 per person per day. However, rising food prices have led vendors to propose an increase to ₦2,200 daily.

Based on the new rate, the estimated cost for feeding all 2,300 staff across working days in 2025 is ₦1.27 billion, though JAMB has budgeted ₦1.1 billion to cover the programme.

Benjamin clarified that the meal programme is entirely funded through JAMB’s internally generated revenue (IGR) and not from federal allocations.

He added that while the government covers salaries of pensionable staff, all other operational and overhead costs, including meals, are financed through the Board’s IGR.

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JAMB’s 2025 budget also includes ₦850 million for outsourced services, covering the salaries and operational costs of 386 security personnel and 194 cleaners working across its more than 40 offices and PTC centres nationwide.

According to Benjamin, this allocation reflects the government’s recent salary reviews, with the minimum wage for cleaners and security staff expected to double.

The Board also earmarked ₦2 million for fumigation services in 2025, refuting earlier claims of excessive spending on such activities.

In response to concerns over the ₦6.4 billion allocated for “Local Travel and Transport (Training),” JAMB explained that the sum is intended to fund the engagement of over 10,500 personnel for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and mock exercises.

The allocation, the Board said, is categorised under the Budget Information Management Monitoring System (BIMMS) guidelines for Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs).

Benjamin emphasised JAMB’s commitment to transparency and prudent resource management, urging the public to distinguish between proposed budgets and actual expenditures.

“This clarification is vital to counter misinformation in the public space,” he said.