Adams Oshiomhole, the lawmaker representing Edo North, has raised concerns over the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) expenditure for 2024. Speaking during the agency’s 2025 budget defense session before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance, Oshiomhole questioned JAMB’s spending on meals, security, and travel.
Oshiomhole highlighted JAMB’s N1.1 billion expenditure on meals and refreshments, accusing the agency of misusing funds generated from students, many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds. He also queried the N850 million spent on security, cleaning, and fumigation, asking for clarification on the high costs.
“What did you fumigate? Is it mosquitoes that took all this money?” Oshiomhole asked.
The lawmaker further criticized JAMB for allocating N600 million to local travel expenses.
In response, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede disclosed that the agency remitted N4 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2024 while receiving a N6 billion grant from the Federal Government.
Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Abiodun Faleke, questioned why JAMB, a revenue-generating entity, still relies on federal allocations. He suggested eliminating JAMB’s government funding if the agency could sustain itself.
The lawmakers indicated that JAMB’s future budgets may exclude federal allocations unless the agency provides substantial justifications for its continued reliance on government funding.
