JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede Challenges Candidates on NTA “Good Morning Nigeria” to Formally Protest Admission Bias as 2026 UTME Approaches and Declares War on Illegal “Backdoor” University Entry Schemes
In a move that cuts through the usual bureaucratic noise, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, today used the national stage to tell Nigerian students that silence is no longer an option when it comes to admission fraud.
Appearing on NTA’s Good Morning Nigeria this Tuesday, April 7, 2026, the Registrar didn’t just give an update; he issued a battle cry for transparency, telling qualified candidates who have been bypassed for admission to “protest” directly to the board.
READ ALSO: JAMB Clarifies Rules for Undergraduates Registering for 2026 UTME
The Death of the “Man-Know-Man” System?
Oloyede’s message was a direct hit to the heart of Nigeria’s “merit-plus-connection” culture. He insisted that the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) is now robust enough to protect the underdog, provided that underdog speaks up.
“If you have the scores, you have the qualifications, and you see someone with lower marks being admitted while you are left out, do not just sit at home. Protest to us at JAMB,” Oloyede declared. He argued that the system is designed to flag these discrepancies, but candidate vigilance is the final layer of security against institutional bias.
Cracking Down on the “Ladder to Illegality”
The Registrar was particularly scathing toward parents who still believe they can buy their way into tertiary institutions. He described these “backdoor” attempts as a “ladder to illegality”—a shortcut that might get a student into a 100-level classroom today, but will almost certainly lead to a shameful exit when the board’s increasingly sophisticated audits catch up with them.
He further revealed that:
Direct Entry (DE) verification has been revolutionized, with JAMB now communicating directly with certificate-awarding bodies to kill off the forged A-level result market.
The board is currently tracking several “high-profile” cases where candidates attempted to use non-existent diplomas to jump the queue.
Final Countdown: UTME 2026 is Unmovable
With only nine days to go, Oloyede used the broadcast to bury the rumors of a shift in the exam timetable. The 2026 UTME will definitely kick off on Thursday, April 16, and wrap up by Saturday, April 25.
He also confirmed that the board has already blacklisted and delisted over 20 CBT centres nationwide (JAMB Blacklists 20 CBT Centres Following Technical Failures During 2026 Mock UTME; Reassignment of Candidates to Begin Shortly) following their dismal performance during the mock exams. “We will not sacrifice the future of our children on the altar of a centre’s poor internet or failing generators,” he noted.