By Adesakin Adefemi
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Prof. Segun Aina as the new Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, making him the youngest person to ever hold the position in the board’s history.
The appointment was announced on Thursday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Aina will take over from Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, whose tenure expires on July 31, 2026.
At 39, Aina is a Professor of Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He will turn 40 in July. The Presidency described him as a distinguished academic and systems expert with extensive experience in digital infrastructure, national examination systems, and public-sector institutional reform.
Aina holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Kent, an MSc in Internet Computing and Network Security, and a PhD in Digital Signal Processing from Loughborough University, UK. He also completed the Senior Management Programme at Lagos Business School.
The new JAMB registrar has over 15 years of professional experience advising federal and state governments on digital transition, institutional reforms, and system design. He has previously worked as a consultant to examination bodies, including the National Examinations Council and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board, focusing on ICT systems and examination integrity.
The Presidency said Aina is one of Nigeria’s youngest professors in Computer Engineering. Officials expect his background in technology and examination systems to strengthen JAMB’s ongoing digital reforms and integrity measures.
Aina is a member of 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. His profile combines academic rigor with practical expertise in managing large-scale public systems.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that Aina would build on the achievements recorded under Oloyede’s administration. He said he expects the new registrar to bring vast experience and practical insight to take JAMB beyond the laudable heights achieved by his predecessor.
The appointment signals the government’s push to deepen digital transformation in Nigeria’s tertiary admissions process. Stakeholders in the education sector will be watching to see how Aina leverages his expertise to address challenges around examination integrity, technology adoption, and institutional efficiency.
