JAMB Boss Advocates NUC Control of Varsity Budgets

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has called on the Federal Government to grant the National Universities Commission (NUC) full control over the budgets of tertiary institutions, in addition to its regulatory role of accrediting courses.

Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political program on Channels Television, Oloyede criticized the current funding system where public universities individually approach the National Assembly to defend their budgets. He described this as a system driven by influence and personal connections, rather than academic and infrastructural needs.

“We need to rethink the funding mechanism. The NUC should be solely responsible for managing universities. Hold the NUC accountable for their affairs,” Oloyede stated.

Recalling his tenure as Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, he noted that when the NUC previously handled university budgets, a structured Universities Annual Review System ensured equitable funding based on student population and academic programs. This, he argued, prevented favoritism and ensured capital development in universities.

“Now, every university lobbies the National Assembly for budget approval, and the weight of your connections determines your funding. When the NUC was in charge, money for capital development was significantly higher. But today, universities are overstaffed with support personnel, affecting funding for critical infrastructure,” he said.

Oloyede further cautioned against the proliferation of universities, suggesting that rather than creating new institutions, the government should focus on expanding and properly equipping existing ones. He criticized the practice of establishing universities as a political tool to compensate marginalized communities, arguing that industrial development should take precedence over mere institutional expansion.

The JAMB boss urged the Federal Government to re-engineer university financing and restore the NUC’s centralized budgetary control to enhance efficiency, accountability, and equity in the nation’s higher education sector.