The appointment of 39-year-old Prof. Segun Aina as the new registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)has triggered fresh conversations about the legacy left behind by former registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
Aina’s appointment, announced by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, quickly drew national attention, largely because of the enormous expectations tied to succeeding one of the most influential reformers in Nigeria’s education sector.
The new registrar holds a degree in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Kent and postgraduate qualifications in Internet Computing, Network Security and Digital Signal Processing from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.
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He also completed a senior management programme at Lagos Business School and is believed to possess extensive experience in digital examination systems and educational administration.
Despite the impressive profile, many education stakeholders believe sustaining the reforms introduced under Oloyede may prove even more challenging than initiating them.
Before Oloyede assumed office in 2016, JAMB was largely viewed as a routine examination body that attracted public attention only during annual admission exercises.
That perception changed in 2017 when the board announced a record N5 billion remittance to the Federal Government, exposing massive financial leakages within the agency.
Official records at the time showed that between 2010 and 2016, JAMB remitted only about N50 million to government coffers.
The development sparked nationwide reactions and investigations into the agency’s past operations.
Former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had questioned how the board suddenly generated billions without increasing examination fees or charges.
Under Oloyede, JAMB introduced the Central Admissions Processing System, popularly known as CAPS, which automated university admissions and reduced opportunities for racketeering and manipulation.
The system significantly improved transparency by ensuring that institutions admitted only qualified candidates through a central digital platform.
The former registrar also strengthened the accreditation process for Computer-Based Test centres nationwide, compelling operators to improve infrastructure and comply with stricter operational standards.
JAMB further collaborated with security and anti-corruption agencies to investigate and prosecute examination fraud, admission racketeering and internal corruption.
By the end of his tenure, the board had reportedly remitted more than N57 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, becoming one of the Federal Government’s strongest revenue-generating agencies.
Before leaving office, JAMB projected an internally generated revenue target of N23.8 billion for 2026 and plans to remit N6 billion as operating surplus.
Analysts say the coming years will test the ability of the new registrar to preserve the transparency framework built under Oloyede while resisting institutional and political pressure capable of reversing the reforms.
