By Gabriel Ameh
ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering supporting the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) with its biometric verification technology to strengthen the integrity of the board’s examination processes.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the indication on Friday in Abuja when the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, led members of the board’s management team on a visit to the Commission’s headquarters.
Aina said JAMB approached INEC because of the Commission’s experience in deploying biometric verification technology for elections.
He explained that JAMB was interested in leveraging INEC’s technological capacity to improve its own identity and examination verification systems.
According to him, the board was aware that INEC had biometric verification machines that might no longer be in active use and appealed to the Commission to consider making some of the equipment available to JAMB.
Responding to the request, Amupitan directed INEC’s Director of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to review the proposal and conduct a proof-of-concept assessment.
The assessment, he said, would determine the availability, functionality and suitability of the biometric equipment for possible deployment by JAMB.
The INEC chairman welcomed the JAMB delegation and commended the board for its statutory responsibilities, describing its role as critical to the education and advancement of Nigerian youths.
Amupitan also highlighted the Commission’s recent use of technology in elections, including the Anambra election, FCT Area Council election, Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, as well as bye-elections conducted across the country.
He said the technological deployments contributed to the conduct of elections that were commended by observers, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the United Kingdom High Commission, for their credibility and peaceful conduct.
The INEC chairman described the visit as evidence of growing cooperation among government agencies, stressing that stronger institutional collaboration was necessary to promote national development.
He further assured the JAMB delegation that INEC was open to exploring other areas of cooperation between the two agencies.
Aina was accompanied by members of the JAMB management team during the visit.
