The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed its readiness to support the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) with biometric verification technology as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration between the two federal agencies.
The offer was made on Friday, September 4, 2026, when the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, led members of the Board’s management team on a courtesy visit to the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the visit, Aina said JAMB approached INEC as a sister agency with extensive experience in deploying biometric technology for the identification and verification of large numbers of Nigerians.
He explained that the Board was seeking to further strengthen the integrity of its examination processes, having learnt that INEC might have biometric verification equipment that was no longer in active use.
Aina therefore appealed to the Commission to consider making some of the equipment available to JAMB to enhance its biometric verification capabilities.
Responding, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, welcomed the delegation and commended JAMB for its statutory responsibilities, describing the Board as a critical institution in Nigeria’s education system and the development of the country’s youth.
Amupitan was joined in receiving the delegation by the National Commissioner in charge of Outreach and Partnerships, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu-Zuru; Director of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Dr. Lawrence Bayode; Director of Human Resources Management, Umar M. Bashar; Director of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi; and the Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola.
The INEC Chairman highlighted the Commission’s recent electoral engagements, including the Anambra and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, as well as bye-elections conducted across the country.
According to him, the exercises had further demonstrated INEC’s growing technological capacity, particularly in the deployment of technology to enhance the credibility and peaceful conduct of elections.
He noted that the Commission’s use of technology in recent elections had attracted commendations from stakeholders, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the United Kingdom High Commission.
Amupitan subsequently directed the Director of ICT to review JAMB’s request and conduct a proof-of-concept assessment to determine the availability, technical condition and suitability of any biometric verification equipment that could potentially be deployed by the Board.
He described the visit as a demonstration of the growing importance of inter-agency collaboration and the need for government institutions to leverage their expertise and resources to advance national development.
The INEC Chairman assured the JAMB delegation that the Commission remained willing to explore additional areas of cooperation that could strengthen the capacity of both institutions to effectively deliver on their respective mandates.
In his response, Aina expressed appreciation to the INEC Chairman and management for the warm reception accorded him and his team, reaffirming JAMB’s commitment to strengthening institutional collaboration with the electoral commission.
