Professor Ishaq Oloyede has left the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) after a decade in office, leaving behind a record of reforms, innovations and financial accountability that has earned him widespread commendation.
Oloyede, who served as JAMB Registrar from August 2016 until July 31, 2026, was succeeded by Professor Segun Aina.
Appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, Oloyede quickly embarked on reforms aimed at transforming the examination body and restoring public confidence in its operations.
One of his most notable achievements was the dramatic increase in JAMB’s revenue remittances to the Federal Government. In 2017, the board remitted ₦7.86 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, a sharp departure from the approximately ₦3 million it had been remitting annually before his appointment.
By 2022, JAMB’s cumulative remittances under Oloyede had risen to about ₦50 billion over six years, compared with roughly ₦52 million remitted by his predecessors over four decades.
The achievement became even more remarkable because it coincided with a reduction in the cost of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) application form. Oloyede reduced the fee by ₦1,500 from ₦5,000, providing relief to candidates and their families.
His financial reforms attracted the attention of the Buhari administration, which subsequently directed anti-graft agencies to investigate the finances of previous JAMB administrations.
Beyond revenue generation, Oloyede focused heavily on improving the credibility of the UTME.
He consolidated the use of Computer-Based Testing, effectively moving JAMB away from the traditional paper-and-pencil examination system. The CBT model made it more difficult for candidates to copy from one another by providing different combinations of questions and answer options.
JAMB also strengthened surveillance at examination centres through the deployment of Closed-Circuit Television cameras and other monitoring measures.
In the April 2019 UTME, 123 candidates accused of examination malpractice were apprehended and prosecuted. The board also delisted 76 CBT centres in Bauchi State after identifying widespread malpractice, while several other states were affected by similar violations.
Oloyede also enforced provisions of the Examination Malpractices Act, which prescribes penalties for candidates, invigilators, schools and examination officials involved in examination fraud.
To further combat malpractice, JAMB introduced biometric verification, making it harder for candidates to use impersonators or access so-called “miracle centres”.
Despite these measures, examination malpractice remained a persistent challenge. In the 2025 UTME, the board uncovered hundreds of WhatsApp platforms allegedly created to facilitate cheating.
Another major reform under Oloyede was the introduction of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), designed to improve transparency in university admissions and curb illegal admissions.
CAPS helped establish a clearer distinction between legitimate admissions processed through JAMB and those conducted outside the approved system. The system also became important in the mobilisation of graduates for the National Youth Service Corps.
Oloyede’s tenure also featured substantial investment in staff welfare. Shortly before leaving office, JAMB reportedly committed about ₦8 billion to pension funds for its workers, a move intended to improve retirees’ access to their benefits.
However, his tenure was not without controversy.
The biggest setback came during the 2025 UTME, when technical problems affected the examination in some locations. About 1.5 million candidates reportedly scored below 200 out of 400, representing 78 per cent of the 1.9 million candidates who sat the examination.
Only 4,756 candidates scored 320 and above, representing about 0.24 per cent of the total candidates.
Following a forensic audit, JAMB ordered a resit for 379,997 affected candidates. Oloyede accepted responsibility for the problems, apologised publicly and acknowledged the distress caused to candidates.
His willingness to accept responsibility and take corrective action was widely regarded as an example of accountability in public office.
Despite the controversies, Oloyede’s tenure has been defined largely by institutional reforms, financial transparency, examination integrity and administrative innovation.
His record has drawn comparisons with the tenure of the late Professor Dora Akunyili at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.
As Professor Segun Aina takes over the leadership of JAMB, Oloyede leaves behind a system that has undergone significant transformation and a legacy that could remain a benchmark for public-sector leadership in Nigeria.