President Bola Tinubu on Thursday appointed Professor Segun Aina as the new Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, succeeding Professor Is-haq Oloyede, whose two-term tenure expires on July 31, 2026.
Aina’s appointment has drawn attention partly because of his age, he turns 40 in July, and his rise through Nigeria’s academic, technology, and public policy sectors.
Here are things to know about him:
He trained entirely in the United Kingdom
Aina built his academic foundation across two British universities.
He obtained a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Kent in 2008, then proceeded to Loughborough University, where he earned an MSc in Internet Computing and Network Security in 2009.
He later completed a PhD in Digital Signal Processing at the same institution.
Back in Nigeria, he added a Senior Management Programme certificate from Lagos Business School.
He began his career at the very board he now leads
Long before his appointment as registrar, Aina had a firsthand encounter with JAMB.
He began his professional journey with the board during his National Youth Service Corps posting, gaining early experience in national admissions processes and data-driven institutional management.
The State House said those foundational insights have since shaped his contributions to examination reform and systems optimisation.
He became one of Nigeria’s youngest Computer Engineering professors at 39
Aina was appointed Professor of Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, at the age of 39, making him one of the youngest professors in his field in Nigeria.
His promotion was based on strong research output, leadership roles, and efforts to link academic knowledge with real-world solutions.
He will now become JAMB’s youngest-ever registrar.
He has advised the presidency and state governments
With over 15 years of post-graduation experience, Aina has worked beyond the lecture hall.
His consultancy assignments have spanned public and private sector institutions, including the Job Creation Unit in the Office of the Vice President and several state governments.
His advisory work has focused on system design, digital transition, and operational reform, areas the State House said it expects him to bring to bear at JAMB.
He has consulted for Nigeria’s major examination bodies
Aina’s familiarity with Nigeria’s examination ecosystem goes beyond JAMB.
He has served as a consultant to NECO and NABTEB, as well as various State Ministries of Education, providing expertise on ICT systems, examination integrity, and digital process optimisation.
He co-founded a technology company
In 2010, Aina co-founded Fluid Click Solutions Ltd, an IT services and engineering project management company, with professional interests spanning education technology, agriculture, hospitality, capacity building, and technical and vocational education.
He belongs to several professional engineering bodies
Aina is a member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
He has also authored about 30 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers.
(Punch)
