A wave of support has continued to build for the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, following the technical glitches that disrupted the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for nearly 380,000 candidates across 157 centres nationwide.
Despite public criticism and mounting pressure over the hitches that affected candidates — particularly in Lagos and the South-East — prominent figures in Nigeria’s education and public sectors have risen in defence of the JAMB boss, applauding his transparency and swift response.
Among the earliest to express solidarity was the Rector of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, who described Prof. Oloyede’s response as “a demonstration of exceptional integrity and commitment to educational excellence.”
“The recent technical glitches understandably caused distress among students and stakeholders,” Dr. Abdul said in a statement. “However, Prof. Oloyede’s assumption of full responsibility and swift corrective actions, including the rescheduling of affected exams, show leadership at its best.”
Joining the chorus of support, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), praised Oloyede’s digital reforms at JAMB, noting that the exam body has set new benchmarks in transparency and credibility under his leadership. “These challenges do not erase the transformation that has taken place at JAMB. The integrity of our national examination system is stronger today because of Prof. Oloyede’s reforms,” he said.
Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, also weighed in, urging Nigerians to focus on the bigger picture. “Technical glitches are not unusual in high-scale digital operations. What matters is accountability — and Prof. Oloyede has shown that,” Pantami said.
Similarly, the Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Prof. Ishaq Lakin Akintola, defended the JAMB registrar against what he described as “unfair attacks.” He said, “No one can deny that JAMB has become one of the most transparent public institutions in Nigeria under Oloyede. Those calling for his resignation are ignoring years of positive reforms.”
Other educationists and civil society groups have echoed these sentiments, urging patience, context, and collaboration. Many noted that JAMB’s move to reschedule exams and notify affected candidates promptly reflects a commitment to fairness and equity.
Education stakeholders now call for collective responsibility among government agencies, service providers, and institutions to strengthen digital infrastructure and ensure the integrity of future UTME exercises.
“Instead of finger-pointing, we should be asking how to improve coordination, reduce downtime, and build capacity across the system,” said Dr. Abdul, reinforcing the call for sector-wide collaboration.
While criticism persists in some quarters, the growing support for Prof. Oloyede underscores the trust he continues to enjoy among key players in Nigeria’s education sector.
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