Oloyede: My Greatest Achievement is Leaving JAMB Better Than I Met It

Ishaq Oloyede, the outgoing registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), says his greatest achievement is leaving the board better than he met it.

The former vice-chancellor of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) spoke on Friday during his handing-over ceremony at JAMB headquarters in Abuja.

Oloyede was first appointed JAMB registrar on August 9, 2016, by former President Muhammadu Buhari and was reappointed for a second term in August 2021.

In May, President Bola Tinubu appointed Segun Aina, a professor of computer science at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, to succeed Oloyede as JAMB’s sixth registrar.

Reflecting on his 10-year journey, Oloyede said leading JAMB’s transformation over the past decade remains his life’s greatest achievement.

“I did not leave JAMB worse than I met it is my greatest achievement,” he said.

He said that upon assuming office, he outlined five cardinal pillars on which his administration would be anchored.

“When I took over the mandate of leadership at JAMB, I outlined five cardinal points that my Administration would be anchored on in ‘Let’s Do It Together: The Biggest Room in the World’,” he said.

“These cardinal points are welfare, discipline, technology, transparency and networking. In these five, though perfection belongs to the Almighty Allah, I can confidently say we tried our best.”

‘WE COMMITTED N8BN TO STAFF WELFARE’

Oloyede said his administration began its reforms by improving staff welfare, strengthening existing structures and ensuring deserving staff members were promoted as and when due.

“We committed over N8 billion to strengthening employees’ retirement savings and their overall financial stability, provided ‘retirement handshakes’ of between N3 million and N10 million to retiring staff and introduced an extra annual salary bonus called ’13th month salary’ to boost staff morale,” he said.

“Besides, we introduced examination duty incentives of 10%, which we recently increased to 20%, and provided free daily meals.”

He said the board also intervened in the medical treatment of staff, with one employee receiving N12 million for treatment at the National Hospital.

“We rewarded exceptional staff with cash and awards while we named a JAMB zonal office and a complex of PTC/PRCs after a staff member, demonstrating that hard work and resilience would not go unacknowledged,” he said.

Oloyede said the welfare initiatives extended beyond staff to candidates, with the board reducing the cost of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) application by 30 percent.

“We also extended hands of fellowship to the institutions by dispensing, through NATAPM Award, about N750 million annually to different tertiary institutions in the country,” he said.

He noted that while his administration prioritised staff welfare, it never condoned indiscipline, with more than 10 staff members prosecuted at different times over alleged misconduct.

The outgoing registrar recalled the 2017 scandal in which a JAMB staff member in Benue claimed a snake swallowed N36 million realised from the sale of scratch cards.

“The sensationalised case of a snake gulping N36 million that the media feasted on was just one of the measures taken to entrench discipline,” he said.

“I remember that the EFCC tweeted then that an ‘eagle (representing EFCC) shows no mercy for money-swallowing snake(s)’. I share the belief that we must all suffer either the pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment.

“This is why discipline is incontestable as a cardinal principle of JAMB operations and that accounts for the well-known remittances of scores of billions in operational surpluses to the government treasury.”

Highlighting the board’s technological reforms, Oloyede said his administration introduced several innovations to strengthen the integrity of JAMB’s operations.

“Scaling up of Computer-Based Test (CBT), improvement of digital architecture, creating Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), advanced biometric and identity verification, CCTV monitoring, digital PINs and payments as well as Remote Authoring and Moderation System (RAMS) and institutional digital transformation are some of the steps taken to make our operations seamless on rock-solid integrity,” he said.

“We also commenced the Bring-Your-Device initiative, which we believe will be perfected and operationalised.”

He added that the 2025 technical glitches, which sparked nationwide outrage and forced the board to reschedule examinations for thousands of candidates, showed that technology has its limits and that eternal vigilance remains the price of liberty.

Oloyede said although his stewardship was anchored on transparency, none of the achievements would have been possible without strong networks and partnerships.

He commended state governors, the national security adviser, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the inspector-general of police for their support and cooperation.

He expressed confidence that under Aina’s leadership, and with the continued support of critical stakeholders and the government, JAMB would attain even greater heights.

“I wish my successor, Prof. Segun Aina, great success and his success is the success of all of us who have been privileged to steer JAMB since its inception,” he said.

“My belief is that the advantage and vibrancy of his younger age and his ICT expertise would propel the Board to higher heights than previously attained. He can rest assured of my advice if and when it is required.”