Former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, has expressed confidence in the ability of the Board’s newly appointed Registrar, Professor Aina, to build on existing reforms and further strengthen the use of technology in Nigeria’s tertiary admissions system.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Professor Oloyede dismissed suggestions that he should be advising his successor on the use of technology, describing such expectations as “carrying coal to Newcastle”—an expression used to describe doing something unnecessary because the recipient already possesses the required expertise.
According to the former registrar, Professor Aina’s distinguished background in Computer Engineering places him in a strong position to deepen JAMB’s digital transformation and enhance the Board’s operational efficiency.
“I believe that is like carrying coal to Newcastle. Professor Aina is a renowned Professor of Computer Engineering, and I know that, of course, he will be better than me in that area. I believe very strongly that he is in a good position to maximise the use of technology,” Oloyede said.
He added that, rather than offering technology-related guidance to his successor, the reverse should be the case.
“I think it should be the other way round—that he, being an expert in that field, should be the one urging those of us in the humanities on the value and use of technology. I have no doubt in my mind that, given his background and experience, he will do very well,” he stated.
Professor Oloyede’s remarks come amid widespread discussions about the future direction of JAMB following the appointment of Professor Aina, with many education stakeholders expressing optimism that the Board’s technology-driven admission system will continue to evolve.
During Professor Oloyede’s tenure, JAMB underwent significant reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability and efficiency in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and admission processes. His administration was widely recognised for expanding the use of digital technology, strengthening examination security, increasing internally generated revenue and introducing measures to curb examination malpractice and admission irregularities.
The former registrar also earned commendation for consistently advocating merit-based admissions and intervening in cases where qualified candidates were denied admission contrary to established guidelines.
Professor Aina is expected to assume leadership of the examination body at a time when Nigeria’s tertiary education sector is placing increasing emphasis on digital innovation, data-driven decision-making, cybersecurity and improved service delivery.
Observers believe his expertise in Computer Engineering could further accelerate technological innovations within JAMB, particularly in areas relating to examination administration, candidate verification, artificial intelligence applications, data management and institutional digital infrastructure.
With Professor Oloyede publicly expressing confidence in his successor’s capabilities, attention is now focused on how the new registrar will consolidate previous reforms while introducing fresh innovations to strengthen the credibility, efficiency and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s tertiary admission system.
