The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has called on members of the Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU) to remain committed to their responsibilities as custodians of institutional memory, while adapting to the evolving demands of the 21st-century workplace.
Prof. Oloyede made the call on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, while receiving a delegation of ARNU at JAMB’s National Headquarters in Bwari, Abuja.
In his welcome address, the JAMB Registrar expressed delight over the visit and reminded the delegation that, as custodians of institutional memory, Registrars have a duty to mentor the next generation of university administrators. He noted that, unlike Vice-Chancellors who operate within defined tenures, Registrars are strategically positioned to mentor Deputy Registrars, Assistant Registrars, and other administrative staff before retirement.
Earlier, the Chairman of ARNU, Dr. Bala I. Ahmed, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to visit the Board, noting that the engagement was informed by JAMB’s status as a strategic partner with which the association seeks closer collaboration to further consolidate gains in Nigeria’s admissions policies.
Dr. Ahmed stated that ARNU, as a critical stakeholder in the admissions process, is concerned about the current role of university Registrars on the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), where they are restricted to “view-only” access. According to him, the current CAPS structure grants active access only to Vice-Chancellors and Admissions Officers, leaving Registrars as passive observers.
He further raised concerns over what he described as the non-recognition of university Registrars in requests for students’ data, citing their exclusion at the last JAMB Policy Meeting on Admissions as an example.
Dr. Ahmed argued that Registrars, as Heads of Administration, custodians of students’ records, and signatories to admission letters, deserve a more prominent role in admissions management and CAPS operations. He also called on the JAMB Registrar to further strengthen admissions management across Nigerian universities.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Ahmed informed the Board that ARNU would hold its 2025 Annual Retreat on December 10, 2025, where key issues in university administration and management would be discussed.
Responding, Prof. Oloyede said he had been actively involved in JAMB-related activities long before becoming the Board’s Registrar, having represented his university over the years. He noted that, historically, university Registrars were not involved in the admissions process, despite JAMB being a product of collaboration among universities and other stakeholders.
He explained that the current admissions process involves three key actors: Vice-Chancellors, Admissions Officers, and JAMB Desk Officers. While Admissions Officers report directly to Vice-Chancellors, he acknowledged the need for Registrars to understand the admissions workflow within their institutions. Consequently, he said provisions had been made for Registrars to submit inputs through CAPS mail.
Prof. Oloyede also recalled that JAMB had previously scheduled training sessions for university Registrars across the six geopolitical zones but expressed surprise that none had taken advantage of the opportunity.
He emphasised that, as a Registrar himself, he would not work against the interests of his colleagues, adding that he had initiated the inclusion of university Registrars in the admissions process immediately upon assuming office, making them viewing partners on the CAPS portal to ensure transparency.
The JAMB Registrar further explained that globally, admissions processes follow similar patterns, which is why Admissions Officers are held accountable and can be legally liable for breaches of established rules.
Addressing concerns over the non-recognition of Registrars at the last Policy Meeting, Prof. Oloyede apologised for the oversight and assured the delegation that the issue had been noted.
On the association’s invitation to its annual retreat, he said it was received rather late but promised to compensate for his absence through increased engagement with ARNU in the future.
