The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has wrapped up the final stage of its automation programme with the complete digitisation of question development for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), a project that began more than a decade ago.
JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, made this known on Tuesday at the University of Ibadan during a training session for test developers.
According to Oloyede, the current exercise marks the tenth and concluding phase of the automation initiative. He explained that the focus of this final stage is the digital authoring of examination questions.
He noted that question setters can now develop items remotely from their respective locations without the need to travel across the country.
The registrar said the transition to full digitisation would simplify the process, reduce operational costs, minimise stress, and improve efficiency, while maintaining strict security standards. He assured stakeholders that robust safeguards have been integrated into the system to protect its integrity.
Addressing registration updates, Oloyede revealed that the board increased the number of Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres from about 800 in 2025 to over 1,000 in 2026 to ensure smoother registration and examination processes.
He disclosed that nearly two million candidates had already registered, exceeding figures recorded at the same period last year. He added that pin vending would end the following day with no extension, urging candidates who had purchased pins to complete their registration before the deadline.
Oloyede also cautioned candidates and parents against engaging in examination malpractice or attempting to manipulate the system, warning that strict sanctions await offenders. He stressed that there are no shortcuts to academic success and affirmed that the board is closely monitoring the process.
Reacting to the development, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure, Adenike Oladeji, said the innovation would strengthen quality assurance across universities.
She observed that institutions rely significantly on JAMB’s screening process and noted that improved credibility could reduce the need for extensive post-UTME assessments.
Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor of Fountain University, Olayinka Kareem, described the move as a commendable advancement that would boost confidence in the calibre of students admitted into higher institutions.
Kareem added that digitisation would enhance proper documentation of test items and allow for more accurate evaluation of candidates’ performance.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the African School of Economics, Mahfuz Adedimeji, stated that the training was organised to equip test developers with the necessary skills to operate the new digital platform effectively.
He emphasised that the innovation would improve operational efficiency and further raise the standard of questions set for the UTME.
The training programme drew advisers, directors, and test developers from universities, polytechnics, and secondary schools nationwide.
