The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has refuted claims that it was queried by the National Assembly for allegedly spending ₦9 billion on meals, refreshments, and security.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the board clarified that it only appeared before the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Finance on Monday, January 13, 2025, to defend its 2025 budget proposal, as mandated by law.
Dr. Benjamin emphasized that the claims of exorbitant expenditures in 2024 were baseless, as the focus of the meeting was strictly on the 2025 budget proposal.
He added that no 2024 expenditure records were presented during the session, including the purported ₦1.1 billion spent on feeding or ₦850 million on fumigation.
According to Benjamin, the 2025 budget includes a provision for one daily meal for JAMB’s 2,300 staff members, including cleaners and security personnel, across its offices nationwide.
He explained that the initiative, which initially started at the headquarters, aims to minimize staff exposure to external risks and protect the board’s ICT infrastructure.
Benjamin revealed that the rising cost of food prompted vendors to request an increase from ₦1,200 to ₦2,200 per meal. Consequently, JAMB allocated ₦1.1 billion for the initiative in its 2025 budget.
The board also earmarked ₦850 million for outsourced cleaners and security personnel, fumigation services, and cleaning materials.
This sum, Benjamin noted, covers 386 security personnel and 194 cleaners employed across JAMB’s offices and exam centers nationwide.
He clarified that only ₦2 million of the proposed amount is allocated for fumigation services, a figure that was below ₦1 million in 2024.
The budget also reflects a government-mandated salary review, with cleaners and security staff expected to earn minimum wages of ₦70,000 and higher.
Addressing concerns over the ₦6.4 billion proposed for local travel and transport, Benjamin explained that this covers training and other logistics for the over 10,500 staff and officials required for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and mock tests. The categorization, he said, aligns with government directives for budget preparation under the Budget Information Management Monitoring System (BIMMS).
Budget Transparency and Revenue
Dr. Benjamin reiterated that all operational costs, including meals and logistics, are funded through JAMB’s internally generated revenue. The government only covers the salaries of pensionable staff.
He urged the public to disregard misinformation and assured stakeholders of JAMB’s commitment to transparency and accountability in its financial operations.
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