By Wellington Jopelo
Professor Segun Aina, the 39-year-old academic recently appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the new Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), is drawing attention for his remarkable rise from serving at the examination body as a corps member to eventually becoming its chief executive.
The appointment, announced by the Presidency on Thursday, confirmed that Aina will officially take over from outgoing registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, whose tenure ends on July 31, 2026. With the appointment, Aina becomes the youngest person to head JAMB since the agency was established.
Before emerging as JAMB registrar, Aina had built a strong profile in Nigeria’s education and technology sectors through academic research, digital innovation projects and consultancy work linked to examination systems and institutional reforms.
His journey with JAMB reportedly began during his National Youth Service Corps programme, when he served at the board and gained firsthand experience in admissions processing, examination coordination and digital data management.
Aina later pursued higher studies in the United Kingdom, earning a degree in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Kent before obtaining postgraduate qualifications in Internet Computing, Network Security and Digital Signal Processing from Loughborough University.
He eventually became a Professor of Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he gained recognition for his contributions to technology-driven solutions and digital system development.
Over the years, he has also worked with examination bodies including NECO and NABTEB, contributing to projects focused on digital transformation, examination integrity and technology-based reforms within Nigeria’s education system.
The Presidency said his appointment is expected to strengthen ongoing reforms in JAMB, especially in the areas of technology, digital admissions management and modernisation of examination processes across the country.