Nigeria PLC: Tinubu’s 40-Year-Old JAMB Registrar is Son of NUC Chairman Also Appointed by Tinubu

Secrets Reporters

Facts-finding by this online media have revealed that the newly appointed Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), is the son of the Chairman of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Board.

Professor Segun Aina, born in July 1986, was appointed by President Tinubu on May 21, 2026, as the new Registrar/Chief Executive of JAMB. He is set to succeed Professor Is-haq Oloyede when his two-term tenure ends on July 31, 2026. At 39–40 years old, Professor Aina becomes the youngest person to head the critical examination body responsible for tertiary admissions for millions of Nigerian youths.

A Computer Engineering scholar and lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Aina specializes in areas such as AI, machine learning, and examination systems management. He previously consulted for bodies like NECO and has experience in academic administration.

His father, Emeritus Professor Oluremi Raphael Aina, OFR, a distinguished educationist and former Registrar of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB, 1992–2002), was appointed by President Tinubu as Chairman of the 13th Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC) in 2025. The board was inaugurated on July 1, 2025, with a further formal approval noted in November 2025.

Multiple sources, including public commentary and reports, have confirmed that Professor Segun Aina is the son of Emeritus Professor Oluremi Raphael Aina. This father-son dynamic places both key regulatory and operational arms of Nigeria’s tertiary education admission and oversight ecosystem under the influence of one family, both appointments made by the same president within roughly one year.

While some stakeholders have praised the appointment of Professor Segun Aina as a bold move toward youth inclusion and technocratic leadership, others have raised serious questions about conflict of interest, transparency, and the optics of “Nigeria PLC”, where key institutions appear to be influenced by familial connections.

Critics argue that having the son of the NUC Board Chairman as JAMB Registrar could compromise independent oversight, especially since NUC regulates universities while JAMB handles admissions into those same institutions. Supporters, however, point to Aina’s academic credentials and argue that merit should not be sacrificed due to parentage.

This latest appointment adds to a growing list of Tinubu administration decisions that have triggered nepotism allegations, as several high-profile positions have gone to individuals with close ties to powerful figures.