JAMB

By Sabiu Abdullahi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Professor Segun Aina as the new Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Aina, who lectures Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, will take over from Professor Ishaq Oloyede, whose second tenure will end on July 31, 2026.

Oloyede first assumed office as JAMB registrar on August 9, 2016, under former President Muhammadu Buhari. He later secured another five-year term in August 2021.

At 39 years old, Aina is expected to become the youngest person ever appointed to head the examination body. He will turn 40 in July.

The appointment was disclosed in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who described the new registrar as “a distinguished academic and systems expert with extensive experience in national examination systems, digital infrastructure, and public-sector institutional reform”.

According to the statement, Aina studied Computer Systems Engineering at the University of Kent, United Kingdom, where he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree. He also earned an MSc in Internet Computing and Network Security as well as a PhD in Digital Signal Processing from Loughborough University.

“He has also completed the Senior Management Programme at Lagos Business School,” Onanuga said.

The presidential aide explained that Aina’s relationship with JAMB started during his National Youth Service year.

“Aina began his career with JAMB during his National Youth Service, gaining foundational experience in national admissions and data-driven institutional processes,” the statement read.

“These insights have shaped his ongoing contributions to examination reform and systems optimisation.”

Onanuga added that the professor has spent more than 15 years working in areas connected to technology, governance and institutional development.

“With over 15 years of post-graduation experience, Professor Aina operates at the intersection of technology, policy, and institutional transformation, advising federal and state governments on system design, digital transition, and operational reform,” he said.

“At 39, he became one of Nigeria’s youngest Computer Engineering professors and will now make history as JAMB’s youngest registrar.”

The statement also noted that Aina had previously worked with examination agencies such as NECO and NABTEB, alongside several state ministries of education, especially on ICT systems and examination processes.

“He has served as a consultant to major examination bodies, including NECO, NABTEB, and various State Ministries of Education, providing expertise on ICT systems, examination integrity, and digital process optimisation.”

Aina belongs to several professional associations, including the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

The presidency expressed confidence that the new registrar would deploy his experience and technical knowledge to strengthen JAMB’s operations.

By Anas Abbas

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced a major adjustment to university admission requirements, revealing that Mathematics will no longer be compulsory for admission into several courses in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

This was disclosed by JAMB’s Director of Public Affairs and Protocol, Fabian Benjamin, during an appearance on the Nigerian Television Authority programme, “Good Morning Nigeria.”

According to him, the new policy means candidates seeking admission into certain courses will no longer be required to have Mathematics as part of their entry requirements, except for disciplines where the subject remains essential.

Benjamin explained that Mathematics would still be compulsory for courses that are science-based, engineering-related and other programmes that require strong numerical knowledge.

The JAMB spokesperson noted that the adjustment is part of ongoing efforts aimed at making admission processes more flexible and aligned with the requirements of different academic disciplines.

The policy is expected to affect candidates seeking admission into universities across the country, particularly those applying for arts, humanities and some social science courses.

Further details on the specific courses affected by the new requirement are expected to be released by JAMB.

By Uzair Adam

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has apologised for failing to release the second batch of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results as earlier scheduled, assuring candidates that the results would be made available before the end of Sunday.

The board had initially fixed Saturday for the release of the results for candidates who sat for the examination on Friday, April 17, but missed the deadline, sparking frustration among candidates across the country.

In a statement issued on Sunday, JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, attributed the delay to the absence of the board’s Chief Executive, who was away on official duty.

He said the board regretted the inconvenience caused, noting that the situation was beyond its control.

“We sincerely apologise for the delay in releasing the results for Friday, April 17, which is the second batch in the series as earlier promised,” he said.

Benjamin explained that the Chief Executive had now returned and would oversee the release process.

According to him, the results would be made public later in the day, “surely before nightfall.”

He also acknowledged the anxiety among candidates who had waited late into the night for the results, thanking them for their patience and understanding.

The delay comes shortly after JAMB released the first batch of results for candidates who wrote the examination on Thursday, April 16, with a total of 632,788 results already published.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has distanced itself from an incident involving the alleged discrimination against a hijab-wearing candidate at the Esther Oshikoya CBT Centre in Ibadan.

In a statement shared on his verified social media account, JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, said the Board became aware of the incident during its routine monitoring of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) screening process on Thursday.

According to him, the situation occurred during the first session of the examination day and was traced to an “overzealous” ad hoc staff member who acted in violation of established guidelines. He stressed that the action was neither authorised by JAMB nor part of the official procedures at the centre.

Benjamin noted that the Board immediately intervened, directing that no candidate wearing a hijab should be asked to remove or alter it under any circumstances. He added that the staff member involved had been cautioned accordingly.

“JAMB respects the religious beliefs and customs of all Nigerians,” he said, assuring candidates that their rights to religious expression, including mode of dressing, remain protected.

The Board further disclosed that all ad hoc personnel across examination centres have been re-briefed on proper screening procedures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has stated that candidates are not asked to remove their hijabs during registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The clarification followed a viral video that sparked concerns over alleged discrimination against Muslim candidates at Afe Babalola University.

In the video shared by a social media user, AsakyGRN, a man complained about the treatment his sister received at a registration centre.

“I followed my sister to the JAMB centre to collect her form. She was told to remove her hijab before she could be captured,” the man said.

“After the capturing, they asked her to sign an undertaking for wearing a hijab. Are Muslims now being discriminated against for wearing hijabs?”

Reacting in a statement posted on its X platform on Saturday, JAMB explained that it has never issued any directive banning the use of hijabs during registration.

The examination body noted that, as part of biometric requirements used worldwide, candidates are expected to have their ears visible during photograph capture for identification purposes.

“This requirement is purely technical and is intended to ensure that proper facial recognition and identification do not require the candidate to remove her hijab,” the board said.

JAMB also addressed the incident at the university. It said the candidate’s religious belief was respected throughout the process.

“She was requested to formally state in writing that she personally chose not to comply with the guideline regarding ear visibility, so that the record would accurately reflect the circumstances and prevent future misrepresentation,” the board said.

“She obliged and was successfully captured, albeit after considerable time and effort.

“For clarity, candidates are not required to remove their hijab. The simple requirement is that the ears be visible during photo capture, which can be done without removing the hijab itself.

“This is a standard biometric procedure, similar to what is obtained during passport or visa applications at embassies worldwide.”

The board urged members of the public to avoid spreading misleading information and encouraged them to seek proper clarification when necessary.

JAMB also reaffirmed its commitment to respecting the rights and religious beliefs of all candidates, regardless of their background.

By Anwar Usman

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has lamented over the low turnout of candidates to reprint their notification slips for the upcoming make-up Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the Board revealed that only a small number of the scheduled candidates had completed the slip-printing process.

“As of this morning (Friday), only 12,442 out of the 98,232 scheduled candidates have printed their slips, reflecting a mere 12.6% participation rate,” the statement read.

To this end, JAMB appealed to affected candidates, particularly those who missed their main UTME, to take immediate action in order not to miss the rare opportunity.

“We strongly encourage all candidates, particularly those who missed the main examination, to print their notification slips promptly.

“This is a rare opportunity for them to participate in this year’s examination,” the Board said.

JAMB further reiterated that, “We urge all candidates who missed their previous examinations to reprint their slips to ensure they do not miss this opportunity.”

The board also assured the public that adequate measures had been taken to ensure a smooth and inclusive process.

“The Board is actively monitoring the printing process to determine the number of candidates who will be present for the examination.

“Meanwhile, we have deployed both human and material resources to facilitate this exercise, ensuring that all registered candidates have the opportunity to sit the examination,” the statement concluded.

By Anas Abbas

In the recently released results of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), 17,025 candidates, representing 0.88% of the total 1,931,467 participants, scored 300 and above. 

This information was disclosed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Sunday, coinciding with the announcement of results from the resit examination.

This year’s performance marks a notable improvement compared to previous years since the introduction of the Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format in 2013. The latest figures surpass the 1,842,364 results released in 2024, reflecting a consistent increase in UTME participation over time.

For context, only 8,401 candidates (0.46%) achieved similar scores in 2024, while just 5,318 candidates (0.35%) reached this benchmark in 2023.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police have arrested 20 suspects in Abuja for allegedly hacking into the servers of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the National Examination Council (NECO) to manipulate UTME scores.

The suspects, part of a larger syndicate of over 100 members, reportedly charged candidates between ₦700,000 and ₦2 million to obtain inflated results. Many are said to operate private schools and special centres used for the fraud.

Sources indicate that the group aimed to discredit JAMB’s Computer-Based Testing (CBT) system and discourage its future use by other examination bodies, such as WAEC and NECO.

The arrests follow JAMB’s release of the 2025 UTME results, in which over 78% of candidates scored below 200 out of 400. 

Registrar Ishaq Oloyede earlier cited server faults affecting nearly 380,000 candidates, prompting a resit exam from May 16.

By Uzair Adam 

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the technical error that resulted in the mass failure recorded during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

This decision was made following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by a lawmaker from Osun State, Adewale Adebayo, during Thursday’s plenary session.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) released the results of the 2025 UTME on May 9, revealing that over 78 per cent of candidates scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks. 

An early review by the board indicated a significant technical error had occurred.

At a press briefing in Abuja, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede disclosed that server-related issues affected the results of 379,997 candidates. 

He explained that updates to servers in Lagos and South-East zones disrupted the upload of responses during the first three days of the examination. 

The issue, caused by one of JAMB’s two technical service providers, went undetected before the results were initially released.

To remedy the situation, the board announced that affected candidates would be allowed to retake the examination between May 16 and 19, 2025.

While presenting the motion, Adebayo emphasised the hardship many candidates and their families endured, travelling long distances only to face disappointing outcomes. 

He called for a thorough investigation to ensure such lapses do not recur.

In his contribution, Sada Soli from Katsina praised the JAMB Registrar for admitting the error and publicly apologising. 

He also commended Oloyede’s efforts in boosting the board’s revenue since taking office.

However, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas said it would be up to the investigating committee to determine whether the Registrar deserves an official commendation.

The motion was unanimously adopted through a voice vote.

The House further called on the Federal Government to establish Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in all Local Government Areas across the country to make exam centres more accessible. 

It also urged JAMB to release the withheld results of candidates below the age of 16.

By Uzair Adam 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has acknowledged making errors that negatively affected candidates’ performance in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

This admission was made by the Board’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during a press briefing held on Wednesday in Abuja.

Oloyede stated that, “What should have been a moment of joy has changed due to one or two errors.”

The Daily Reality reports that this comes amid growing concern over the mass failure recorded in the 2025 UTME. 

It was gathered that out of the 1.9 million candidates who took the examination, more than 1.5 million reportedly scored below 200 out of a possible 400 marks—representing over 75 per cent of all candidates.

Some affected candidates have expressed intentions to take legal action against the Board.

More details to follow…