The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it has resolved admission record errors, National Identification Number (NIN) discrepancies and other administrative problems affecting thousands of candidates, helping many move forward with their academic and career plans.
The Registrar of the Board, Professor Segun Aina, disclosed this while reviewing his first three months in office as JAMB’s sixth Registrar.
He said several candidates had been unable to resolve admission related issues for years because of administrative delays and lengthy investigations. However, targeted interventions, particularly the NIN alignment initiative, have helped clear many of these cases.
In a report titled “My First Quarter in JAMB”, Aina said his administration had focused on improving candidate welfare, strengthening service delivery, restoring institutional credibility and building public confidence.
He explained that his approach was guided by the need to put candidates at the centre of the Board’s activities, using available human resources and technology to make its services easier to access.
Providing an update on the Board’s customer service performance, the Registrar revealed that JAMB received 52,517 service complaints and requests during the period under review, with 50,370 successfully resolved. He added that more than 5,000 pending tickets were cleared within his first five days in office.
Aina said the figures represented more than routine administrative work, pointing out that every complaint came from a candidate, parent or stakeholder seeking assistance.
He also acknowledged the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Education, the Minister of State for Education, JAMB management and staff, tertiary institutions, regulatory bodies, professional associations, Computer Based Test centre operators, security agencies, the media and other partners.
The Registrar specifically commended his predecessor, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, for the guidance and valuable insights he provided in helping him understand the Board’s operations and challenges.
Looking ahead, Aina said JAMB would continue working to make the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) more meaningful, simplify admission procedures and improve access to its services.
He disclosed that the Board plans to expand its digital services so candidates and other users can complete more transactions online without making unnecessary visits to its offices and service centres. According to him, this will help reduce congestion while making service delivery more efficient.
He also stressed the importance of strengthening the security, reliability and resilience of JAMB’s digital platforms to protect users and maintain public trust.
As preparations for the 2027 UTME gather momentum, Aina said the Board was developing new measures to improve examination arrangements, prevent avoidable challenges and provide candidates with a better experience.
Beyond the examination process, he revealed plans to improve JAMB’s assessment system by giving greater attention to critical thinking, practical abilities and essential life skills. He said the changes would reflect global standards and the demands of the modern labour market.
Aina explained that the Board wanted to move away from an approach that relied heavily on memorisation and place greater value on intellectual ability, problem solving and the skills candidates need to succeed in a changing world.
He added that JAMB would continue pursuing reforms to make Nigeria’s tertiary admission system more transparent, credible and internationally recognised.
The Registrar also urged staff to remain open to innovation and place service delivery at the heart of their responsibilities. He maintained that the Board’s reputation should be built on strong institutional structures, accountability and effective partnerships rather than the individual occupying the Registrar’s office.
Reflecting on his first three months, Aina said the period had helped him identify the Board’s challenges, build on existing strengths and lay the groundwork for reforms aimed at making Nigeria’s examination and admission system more efficient, reliable and responsive to the needs of candidates.
