President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor Segun Aina as the new Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, making him the youngest person to ever hold the position in the board's history. The announcement was made on Thursday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
A Milestone Appointment
Aina, who will turn 40 in July, takes over from Professor Is-haq Oloyede, whose two-term tenure of ten years ends on July 31, 2026. He is expected to formally assume office on August 1, 2026. The appointment comes at a critical time as JAMB continues to implement digital reforms in Nigeria's tertiary admissions process.
Academic and Professional Background
Aina is a Professor of Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he became one of Nigeria's youngest professors in the discipline. 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 doctorate in Digital Signal Processing, both from Loughborough University in the United Kingdom. He also completed the Senior Management Programme at Lagos Business School.
Beyond academia, Aina brings over 15 years of consulting experience, having advised NECO, NABTEB, and several State Ministries of Education on ICT systems, examination integrity, and digital process reform. His relationship with JAMB dates back to his National Youth Service Corps year, during which he worked directly with the board and gained firsthand exposure to national admissions and data management systems.
Professional Memberships
He is a member of several professional bodies, including the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
Oloyede's Legacy and Expectations
Oloyede, who took charge of JAMB in 2016, is widely credited with transforming the board from a deeply troubled institution into one of Nigeria's more functional public agencies. He introduced the use of Computer-Based Testing at scale, plugged revenue leakages, and dramatically improved transparency in the admissions process. Tinubu's statement expressed the expectation that Aina would build on those achievements and take JAMB beyond the heights reached under his predecessor.
The appointment lands at a sensitive moment for JAMB, with ongoing efforts to enhance examination integrity and digital processes. Aina's technology background suggests the administration is betting on a digital-first approach to the board's next chapter.
