The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has resolved 50,370 out of the 52,517 customer service complaints received within the first quarter of Prof. Segun Aina’s tenure as Registrar, while also helping thousands of candidates overcome longstanding admission and National Identification Number, NIN, discrepancies.
The Board also cleared more than 5,000 outstanding customer service tickets within Aina’s first five days in office, as part of efforts to improve service delivery, eliminate administrative bottlenecks and make its operations more responsive to candidates and other stakeholders.
Aina disclosed these achievements in an article titled My First Quarter in JAMB, in which he reviewed his first three months as the Board’s sixth Registrar and outlined his administration’s reform priorities, including improving the candidate experience, strengthening digital platforms and enhancing the credibility of Nigeria’s admission system.
He said one of the most satisfying interventions under his leadership had been the resolution of admission-related challenges that had kept thousands of candidates’ academic and career aspirations on hold for years.
According to him, many affected candidates had been trapped in prolonged investigations and administrative bottlenecks arising from errors in their admission records, NIN-related discrepancies and other unresolved issues.
He explained that targeted interventions, particularly the NIN alignment initiative, had helped thousands of such candidates resolve their challenges and move forward with their academic and career aspirations.
Aina described the intervention as a practical demonstration of public service, stressing that JAMB must remain focused on identifying problems, providing solutions and making a tangible difference in the lives of candidates.
Looking ahead, the Registrar said the Board was preparing more ambitious reforms aimed at making the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, more purposeful, simplifying admission processes for tertiary institutions and improving public access to its services.
He identified technology as a major driver of the planned reforms, noting that JAMB intended to reduce unnecessary physical visits to its offices and service centres by expanding digital access to its services.
He added that the Board would strengthen the reliability, resilience and security of its digital platforms, while ensuring greater accountability and responsiveness whenever operational challenges arise.
Aina also disclosed that preparations for the 2027 UTME were underway, with several innovations being developed to improve examination conduct, eliminate avoidable difficulties and enhance candidates’ overall experience.
He said the proposed changes would also reinforce the integrity of public examinations in the country, urging stakeholders to support the Board with constructive feedback and cooperation.
Beyond operational improvements, the Registrar said JAMB would pursue initiatives to strengthen the integrity, transparency and international relevance of Nigeria’s tertiary admission processes, particularly as local institutions attract increasing global attention.
He further expressed the need to restructure the Board’s assessment framework to accommodate critical thinking, practical competencies and life skills in line with contemporary global expectations and labour market demands.
According to him, the objective is to move beyond an examination culture that places excessive emphasis on memorisation to one that recognises intellectual capacity, problem-solving abilities and the competencies required to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Aina, who acknowledged the contributions of his predecessor, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said the experience and guidance he received had provided valuable insights into the institutional environment and challenges of the Board.
He also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Education, the Minister of State for Education, JAMB management and staff, tertiary institutions, regulatory agencies, professional associations, computer-based test centre operators, security agencies and other stakeholders for their support.
He, however, charged the Board’s workforce to embrace innovation, raise service delivery standards and prioritise the needs of candidates above routine administrative convenience.
Aina said his long-term ambition was to build an institution whose credibility would rest on strong systems, effective partnerships and accountable personnel rather than the personality of whoever occupies the office of Registrar.
He maintained that the success of the ongoing reforms would depend on the collective commitment of JAMB staff, tertiary institutions, service partners, candidates and the general public.
