Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has had six registrars since the board was established in 1978 to coordinate admissions into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Over the decades, each registrar has supervised different phases of Nigeria’s tertiary admission system, from the traditional paper-based entrance examinations to the modern Computer-Based Test (CBT) era.
1. Michael Saidu Angulu (1978–1986)
Mr. Michael Saidu Angulu was the pioneer registrar of JAMB following the establishment of the board by the Federal Military Government in 1978. He supervised the early structure of the national admission system and coordinated the first centralized university entrance examinations in Nigeria.
2. Mohammed S. Abdulrahman (1986–1996)
Dr. Mohammed S. Abdulrahman served for about a decade and oversaw the expansion of JAMB operations during a period of increasing university applications nationwide. His administration handled growing admission demands as more tertiary institutions emerged across the country.
3. Momodu A. B. Tukur (1996–2001)
Dr. Momodu A. B. Tukur led the board during a transitional period in Nigeria’s education sector. His tenure witnessed reforms aimed at improving admission coordination and examination administration.
4. Bello Ahmed Salim (2001–2007)
Professor Bello Ahmed Salim supervised JAMB during the early years of technological integration into examination processes. His administration focused on strengthening admission monitoring and institutional compliance.
5. Adedibu Ojerinde (2007–2016)
Professor Adedibu Ojerinde presided over one of the most transformative periods in JAMB’s history. Under his leadership, the board introduced major technological reforms, including the gradual transition from paper-based examinations to Computer-Based Testing (CBT), which later became the national standard for UTME examinations.
6. Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede (2016–2026)
Professor Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede assumed office in 2016 and introduced wide-ranging reforms focused on transparency, accountability, and digital efficiency. His administration strengthened the use of CBT, centralized admission processing through CAPS, reduced examination malpractice, and increased remittances to the Federal Government.
Under his leadership, JAMB also expanded its technological systems, introduced mock UTME examinations, improved candidate verification processes, and intensified policies aimed at standardizing tertiary admissions nationwide.
Since 1978, JAMB has remained Nigeria’s central admission regulatory body, conducting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for millions of candidates seeking admission into higher institutions annually.
