Why we suspended NIN for UTME registration – JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has explained that technical reasons and stakeholders’ concerns compelled the suspension of the use of the National Identification Number as a requirement for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry registrations.

The UTME and DE registrations were scheduled to begin on Monday, January 13 and end on February 17, 2019.

Announcing this at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, noted that technical issues with regards to the system of registration at the National Identification Management Commission was one of the major reasons for the suspension.

He cited difficulties being faced by candidates in the NIN registration, adding that the NIN requirement as a precondition for the UTME and DE registrations had been set aside for this year’s registrations.

Oloyede said the NIN would, however,  be a necessary requirement in the 2021 UTME and Direct Entry registrations.

He said plans are underway for the provision of a more advanced system that would be more efficient for the exercise.

Our correspondent had reported the difficulties faced by candidates in NIN registration including alleged extortion of candidates by  NIMC officials.

The JAMB spokesman, Dr Benjamin Fabian, had alleged that examination malpractices syndicates were behind the hitches at the NIN registration centres.