By Damilola Adeleke

The National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance has expressed dissatisfaction with the budgetary practices of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), threatening to remove the agency’s allocation from the 2025 federal budget.

During a presentation on Monday, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede defended the agency’s 2025 budget proposal, revealing that JAMB remitted ₦4 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund but received ₦6 billion in government grants for 2024.

The revelation drew sharp criticism from lawmakers, including House Finance Committee Chairman Abiodun Faleke and Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo). They questioned why a self-sufficient agency required federal funding.

Faleke noted, “You remitted ₦4 billion and received ₦6 billion from the government. Why not keep the ₦4 billion, and we stop federal funding for JAMB?

”Oshiomhole raised concerns over JAMB’s expenditures, questioning its ₦1.1 billion spending on meals and refreshments, ₦850 million on security and fumigation, and ₦600 million on local travel. He further challenged Oloyede to justify the ₦6.5 billion allocated to local training.

The lawmakers emphasized the need for accountability and urged JAMB to align its operations with its financial independence. The scrutiny has placed the agency’s 2025 budget approval at risk.