Poly Ibadan to Revive IJMB After Eight-Year Break, Gets ABU’s Nod

After almost eight years of inactivity, the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) programme is set to return to The Polytechnic, Ibadan, after Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, which oversees the programme nationwide, expressed confidence in the institution’s readiness to host it again.

The ABU delegation, led by Professor Adebayo Ojo Oyewale, spent the early part of this week inspecting the institution’s lecture halls, laboratories, libraries, and manpower. The assessment tour concluded on Thursday, October 2, 2025, when the team paid a courtesy visit to the Rector’s office to present its report and hold a formal meeting with the management.

Speaking during the visit, the Deputy Rector, Mrs. Olaide Salawu, who represented the Acting Rector, Dr. Taiwo Abideen Lasisi, said the Polytechnic had completed the necessary groundwork and was ready to restart the programme.

“We requested that IJMB be reactivated because it has been suspended here for about eight years. If you look at the fraction of students who gain admission through JAMB, it is very low. With IJMB, we can reduce the pressure on POST-UTME and provide an alternative route into higher education,” Salawu explained.

She added that although IJMB initially recommended an intake of 500 students in the first year, the Polytechnic was confident of accommodating more and scaling up gradually.

“By the second year, we are looking at over 1,000 IJMB students. They will take three subjects and then proceed to gain direct entry admission into universities in their second year. It is a seamless process,” she said.

Prof. Oyewale, who led the ABU visitation team, expressed satisfaction with the facilities and manpower available at the institution.

“From our assessment, they have done very well. Of course, there are areas that require attention, but the good news is that the management has shown strong commitment to improving them,” he said.

He highlighted the need for upgrades in the laboratories and library facilities but praised the Polytechnic’s overall infrastructure.

“The lecture halls, the library, and other facilities are excellent. We only suggested placing a library closer to the lecture halls for effective use. With the resources available, they are ready for the proper take-off of the programme,” he added.

Dr. Ambimbola Akinseye, Director of Preliminary Studies and Allied Programmes, described the revival of IJMB as timely, especially for young people in the Southwest who have been frustrated by repeated JAMB attempts.

“The IJMB programme will give them a lifeline, a second chance at higher education. And we want to assure the public that we will not run annex centres; all activities will remain centralized here to maintain quality,” she said.

Present at the meeting were Mr. Adewunmi Joseph Ogunjimi, Prof. Aminu, Dr. Sanusi Gambo, and other members of the ABU delegation, alongside representatives of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.