JAMB Warns New Tertiary Institutions: “No More Backdoor Admissions”

Abuja – Nigeria, In a strong stance against illegal academic admissions, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned newly-approved and upgraded tertiary institutions across Nigeria to adhere strictly to due process or risk the nullification of student admissions.

At an interactive session in Abuja on Monday, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, declared that all admissions must go through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), with no room left for regularization. “CAPS ensures transparency, fairness, and integrity. Institutions trying to bypass it are setting themselves up for failure,” he said.

The warning comes as over 80 new institutions were recently licensed by the Federal Government, including 22 universities, 33 polytechnics and monotechnics, and 12 colleges of education.

Prof.  Oloyede praised the Tinubu administration for expanding access to higher education but stressed that growth must be accompanied by compliance.

“JAMB will provide full technical support, but compliance is non-negotiable. Institutions must avoid shortcuts. There’s no justification for admitting students through the backdoor,” he warned.

The CAPS and Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System (IBASS), JAMB’s official platforms, were demonstrated live at the event. These systems now include institutional email integration to streamline communication.

Prof. William Qurix, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, admitted the session was enlightening. “JAMB has assured us of prompt support. This will greatly impact how we onboard students,” he said.

Education ministry officials and agency heads emphasized that resource verification and adherence to regulatory standards by the NUC, NBTE, and NCCE are essential.

“Only seven out of 15 upgraded colleges have met with the NUC. That must change,” said Dr. Uche Uba, Director of Colleges, Ministry of Education.

Gom Marian – Report

TETFund Unveils Plan for 18 Innovation Hubs to Drive Nigeria’s Research Revolution

Arc. Echono, ES TETFund

ABUJA, Nigeria – In a move to transform Nigeria’s research landscape, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has announced plans to establish 18 new Innovation Hubs across tertiary institutions in 2025.

This initiative aims to deepen research and innovation in the country’s higher education sector.

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, made the disclosure on Friday at the closing ceremony of the 30th Cohort of the Research for Impact (R4i) initiative, held at Innov8 Technology Hub in Abuja.

According to Echono, the project underscores TETFund’s commitment to fostering a culture of solution-driven research and entrepreneurship.

“These facilities will enable participants to continue practicing what they have learned at this innovation hub and mentor others,” Echono stated, emphasising the phased rollout, which started in 2023 and will culminate in 2025.

Echono highlighted that past R4i cohorts have already yielded remarkable innovations that were exhibited at the inaugural TETFund National Research Fair in November 2024. “We are confident that this cohort will not be different, as they showcase their innovative outputs,” he added.

Professor Idris  Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), echoed the need for Nigerian researchers to patent their innovations and register trade names to protect intellectual property.

“The challenge is on us today in Nigeria. We are among the top nations in terms of population and GDP, yet we still rely on foreign technology. We need to lead Nigeria out of this dependency,” Bugaje asserted, urging polytechnics to embrace practical innovation.

Edward Singhatey, Director at Innov8 Hub, also charged participants to take the tools acquired back to their institutions and push for commercialisation. “We need to commercialize our research,” he urged.

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JAMB Directs NAPPS to Address Grievances with Right Authorities

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has advised the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPPS) to direct their concerns regarding the non-mobilisation of Higher National Diploma (HND) students for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to the relevant authorities.

Speaking at a meeting in Abuja on Friday, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB’s Registrar, clarified that JAMB is not involved in HND student admissions or their subsequent NYSC mobilisation.

Professor Oloyede expressed surprise at being targeted by NAPPS over this issue, attributing it to a misunderstanding of JAMB’s role.

He said, “You are wasting your time talking to someone who has no involvement in the matter. If something affects you, the first step is to identify the root cause so that you don’t apply the wrong solution to a problem that does not exist.”

He explained that JAMB’s responsibilities are confined to admissions for universities, National Diploma (ND), and Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) programs, not HND programs.

He further explained, “Once you graduate and seek HND admission, JAMB has no further role. HND admissions are conducted by individual institutions.” Oloyede also addressed criticisms of part-time polytechnic programs, which he criticised for exploiting students, and noted that over-admission issues often arise when institutions exceed their capacity limits set by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

On the issue of extortion allegations against JAMB officials, Oloyede confirmed that an anonymous petition had been received and a team was investigating.

He urged students with evidence of extortion to come forward, asserting, “About 99 percent of JAMB staff are honest, but any bad eggs will be identified and dealt with appropriately.”

The NAPPS leadership, represented by Comrade Ridwan Opeyemi and Adeniki Temitope, agreed to engage the relevant authorities to address their mobilisation concerns following Oloyede’s explanations.

Gom Marian – Report