INEC offers biometric technology to JAMB

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has offered to assist the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) with biometric verification technology as part of efforts to strengthen the integrity and efficiency of the board’s examination processes.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the offer on Friday when the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, led members of the board’s management team on a courtesy visit to the commission.

Amupitan commended JAMB for its statutory responsibilities, describing the board as an important institution in national development and the advancement of Nigerian youths.

He said JAMB plays a critical role in regulating admissions into tertiary institutions and ensuring that qualified candidates have access to higher education opportunities across the country.

The INEC chairman also highlighted the commission’s increasing reliance on technology in electoral activities, pointing to recent elections as evidence of its growing technological capacity.

He specifically cited the Anambra and Ekiti governorship elections, as well as the Osun governorship election, the Federal Capital Territory Area Council election and several by-elections conducted in different parts of the country.

INEC to assess biometric equipment

According to Amupitan, the conduct of the elections attracted commendations from observers, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the United Kingdom High Commission, particularly regarding their credibility and peaceful nature.

He said the experience had further demonstrated the potential of technology to improve the transparency and efficiency of critical national processes.

Amupitan subsequently directed INEC’s Director of Information and Communications Technology to review JAMB’s request through a proof-of-concept assessment.

He explained that the assessment would establish whether the commission’s biometric verification equipment was available and suitable for possible use by JAMB.

The assessment would also help determine the technical requirements and practical considerations involved in deploying the equipment for examination-related purposes.

The INEC chairman described the visit by the JAMB management team as an indication of the growing cooperation between government agencies.

He stressed that stronger collaboration among public institutions was necessary to improve service delivery and contribute meaningfully to national development.

Amupitan assured the delegation that INEC would explore additional areas of cooperation with JAMB beyond the biometric verification request.

He said both agencies could benefit from sharing knowledge, experience and technological resources where appropriate.

JAMB seeks improved verification system

Earlier, Aina said JAMB decided to approach INEC because of the commission’s experience in developing and deploying biometric verification technology for elections.

He explained that the board was interested in strengthening the integrity of its examination processes by improving its biometric verification systems.

Aina said effective biometric verification remained important to ensuring that candidates who register for JAMB examinations were properly identified and authenticated.

He noted that JAMB understood that INEC had biometric verification machines that might no longer be actively deployed for electoral activities.

The registrar appealed to the commission to consider making the equipment available to JAMB to support its efforts to enhance its verification system.

He said access to suitable biometric technology could assist the board in improving its processes and further reducing opportunities for examination-related irregularities.

Aina expressed appreciation to Amupitan and other members of the INEC management for receiving his delegation and considering the board’s request.

The meeting was attended by INEC National Commissioner for Outreach and Partnerships, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu-Zuru; INEC Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola; and other senior officials of the electoral commission.

The proposed collaboration between INEC and JAMB is expected to deepen inter-agency cooperation while providing an opportunity for the two institutions to leverage technology and expertise in strengthening their respective responsibilities.