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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has offered to support the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) with biometric verification technology to strengthen collaboration between the two federal agencies.
The commitment was made on Friday during a courtesy visit by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, and members of the Board's management team to the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the visit, Aina said JAMB approached INEC because of its extensive experience in deploying biometric technology for the identification and verification of millions of Nigerians.
He explained that the Board was seeking to further improve the integrity of its examination process and had learned that INEC possessed biometric verification equipment that might no longer be in active use.
The JAMB Registrar appealed to the electoral commission to consider making some of the equipment available to support the Board's biometric verification system.
Responding, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, welcomed the delegation and praised JAMB for its role in Nigeria's education sector, describing the Board as a key institution in the development of the country's youth.
Amupitan said INEC's successful deployment of technology in recent elections, including the Anambra and FCT Area Council polls, the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, and several bye-elections, had demonstrated the Commission's growing technological capacity.
He noted that the use of technology had earned commendations from stakeholders, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the United Kingdom High Commission, for enhancing the credibility and peaceful conduct of elections.
The INEC Chairman directed the Commission's Director of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to review JAMB's request and conduct a proof-of-concept assessment to determine the availability, condition and suitability of any biometric verification equipment that could be deployed by the examination body.
He described the visit as a testament to the importance of inter-agency collaboration and reaffirmed INEC's readiness to explore additional areas of cooperation that would strengthen the capacity of both institutions.
In his remarks, Aina thanked the INEC Chairman and management for the warm reception and reiterated JAMB's commitment to building stronger institutional partnerships with the Commission.
