Reps Query JAMB Over N3b Pension Payment, N710m Computer Spending

The House of Representatives has queried the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over alleged extra-budgetary spending, including N3 billion paid for staff pension
benefits and N710 million spent on computer-related items against an approved provision of N220 million.
The lawmakers also demanded explanations for N874 million reportedly spent on meals and refreshments and N696 million on travel and transportation, raising concerns over the board’s financial accountability and compliance with approved budgetary provisions.
The House Committee on Examination Bodies raised the concerns during an oversight engagement with the JAMB Registrar, Professor Segun Aina, and his management team, insisting that the board account for expenditures that were not captured in its approved 2026 budget.

At the centre of the controversy was the N3 billion payment, which Aina explained was meant to settle accumulated obligations under an additional staff benefit scheme initially conceived as a housing programme.

According to him, JAMB had made annual provisions of N1 billion for the scheme in 2024, 2025 and 2026 but eventually consolidated the funds into a single payment to address outstanding obligations.
However, the explanation did not convince the lawmakers, who questioned the legality of transferring and consolidating budgetary provisions from previous fiscal years without explicit parliamentary approval.

Committee Chairman, Oboku Oforji, maintained that appropriations have specific fiscal timelines and that unutilised provisions from previous years cannot automatically be carried forward or repurposed without legislative authorisation.

He consequently demanded documentary evidence of parliamentary approval for converting the housing scheme provisions into pension contributions.

The committee also questioned the board’s computer-related expenditure, observing that several budget lines appeared to contain overlapping provisions for computer purchases and consumables.
The lawmakers noted that JAMB’s spending on such items had risen to about N710 million, significantly above the N220 million approved, and demanded clarification on the additional N490 million expenditure.
Responding, Prof. Aina acknowledged the need for better presentation of the board’s financial records, explaining that some documents submitted to the committee contained figures relating to different budget years, which might have contributed to the discrepancies.
The lawmakers also expressed concerns about persistent challenges facing candidates during examinations and admissions, particularly inadequate examination centres and discrepancies between admission offers issued by tertiary institutions and those recognised by JAMB.
A member of the committee cited Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, where candidates reportedly travel to neighbouring local government areas to sit The committee also questioned the board’s computer-related expenditure, observing that several budget lines appeared to contain overlapping provisions for computer purchases and consumables.
The lawmakers noted that JAMB’s spending on such items had risen to about N710 million, significantly above the N220 million approved, and demanded clarification on the additional N490 million expenditure.
Responding, Prof. Aina acknowledged the need for better presentation of the board’s financial records, explaining that some documents submitted to the committee contained figures relating to different budget years, which might have contributed to the discrepancies.
The lawmakers also expressed concerns about persistent challenges facing candidates during examinations and admissions, particularly inadequate examination centres and discrepancies between admission offers issued by tertiary institutions and those recognised by JAMB.
A member of the committee cited Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, where candidates reportedly travel to neighbouring local government areas to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)
because of the absence of an examination centre.
He urged the new registrar to address such difficulties and expand
access to examination facilities across the country.
Aina, who assumed office on August 1, 2026, said his administration was prioritising reforms aimed at rebuilding public confidence and reducing difficulties candidates encounter in accessing the board’s services.
He disclosed that JAMB had introduced a National Identification Number (NIN) Alignment Service in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to address discrepancies in candidates’ personal information.
According to him, the initiative would enable candidates whose identities have been harmonised or updated to align their records with NIMC, resolving challenges that previously prevented some graduates from participating in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
The registrar also announced a partnership with the West African Examinations Council, National Examinations Council and National Business and Technical Examinations Board to introduce electronic verification of O’Level results.
He said the initiative would allow candidates to access and verify their results electronically without necessarily visiting JAMB offices.

Following the discrepancies in the financial submissions, the committee resolved to give the registrar and his management team another
opportunity to review and resubmit their documents alongside supporting evidence.

The lawmakers said a fresh hearing date would be communicated after the board had addressed the outstanding issues, stressing that public institutions must demonstrate transparency, accountability and strict adherence to approved budgetary provisions.