Professor Is-haq Oloyede will officially step down as Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Friday, July 31, 2026, bringing to an end a decade-long tenure widely credited with transforming Nigeria’s tertiary admissions system through technology, transparency, and institutional reforms.
Oloyede will hand over leadership of the examination body to Professor Segun Aina, who was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May 2026 to succeed him.
The official handover ceremony is scheduled to take place at 10:00 a.m. at the JAMB National Headquarters in Abuja and will be streamed live on the Board’s official social media platforms.
Oloyede assumed office on August 1, 2016, following his appointment by former President Muhammadu Buhari, before securing a second five-year term in 2021.
During his ten years as Registrar, he oversaw sweeping reforms that significantly reshaped JAMB’s operations. His administration strengthened the integrity of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), expanded the use of Computer-Based Testing (CBT), improved examination security, and introduced measures aimed at making the admissions process more transparent and efficient.
His tenure also witnessed remarkable improvements in financial accountability. Under his leadership, JAMB reportedly remitted more than ₦50 billion into the Federal Government’s coffers, a figure that far exceeded the agency’s remittances in previous decades and earned widespread praise from education stakeholders.
Beyond financial reforms, Oloyede’s administration accelerated digital transformation within the Board, introduced stricter monitoring of examination centres, strengthened anti-malpractice measures, and restored public confidence in one of Nigeria’s most important educational institutions.
Taking over from him is Professor Segun Aina, a Professor of Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, who becomes the youngest person ever appointed JAMB Registrar.
At 39 years old, turning 40 in July 2026, Aina brings extensive experience in digital infrastructure, examination technology, and public-sector innovation.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Kent, a Master’s degree in Internet Computing and Network Security, and a PhD in Digital Signal Processing from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. He also completed the Senior Management Programme at the Lagos Business School.
Aina has spent more than 15 years working in digital transformation and examination systems. He previously served with JAMB during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year and later worked as a consultant to the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) on ICT systems, examination integrity, and digital infrastructure.
He has also advised federal and state governments on technology-driven institutional reforms aimed at improving efficiency across the public sector.
President Tinubu, while announcing Aina’s appointment earlier this year, expressed confidence that the incoming Registrar would consolidate the reforms introduced under Oloyede while advancing JAMB’s digital transformation and improving service delivery for millions of candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions.
The leadership transition marks the end of one of the most consequential eras in JAMB’s history and the beginning of a new chapter under a technology-focused academic expected to build on the Board’s achievements.
Education stakeholders say Oloyede leaves behind a legacy defined by transparency, accountability, financial discipline, and innovation, while expectations remain high that Aina will sustain the momentum and further modernise Nigeria’s tertiary admissions system.
Shola Akinyele 
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