I recently watched the heartfelt press conference delivered by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, where he publicly acknowledged that technical glitches had affected the recently released Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results, impacting 379,997 candidates.
His open admission of fault and the sincere expression of remorse stand out as a rare but commendable display of accountability within our public institutions. In a nation where buck-passing and denials have too often defined crisis response, Prof. Oloyede’s transparency deserves recognition.
However, this incident raises a more concerning issue: the growing frequency and grave consequences of “glitches” in our national institutions. What we now call “technical issues” are beginning to erode public trust in critical systems, from education to elections, finance, healthcare, and beyond.
While JAMB’s swift response is laudable, the sheer scale of this disruption calls for deeper reflection. The emotional and psychological toll on students and their families has been severe. In some heartbreaking cases, reports indicate that parents have suffered medical trauma, and lives may have been lost—all because of preventable failures in a process that should be reliable and sacred.
Let us be reminded that the integrity of examinations and the reliability of public services are not optional—they are foundational to the future of any serious nation. Our young people deserve a system they can trust. Their dreams must not be jeopardized by poorly tested platforms or inadequate infrastructure.
Going forward, this must be our collective resolve:
- JAMB and other critical institutions must adopt comprehensive quality assurance frameworks.
- All technical platforms should undergo rigorous testing, regular maintenance, and independent audits.
- Above all, there must be transparent, consistent communication with stakeholders and swift resolution when errors occur.
The recurring excuse of “glitches” must no longer be acceptable. These are not mere inconveniences—they are crises with real human consequences. We must stop normalizing failure.
There should be no more glitches—not in JAMB, not in INEC, not in our airports, hospitals, or ministries. The cost of repeated institutional failure is simply too high for a nation already battling trust deficits.
We must demand better. We must do better.
Because a New Nigeria is POssible.
