JAMB CBT promotion exam marks a bold shift as 6,000 civil servants sit a transparent digital assessment across Nigeria and four other countries

The JAMB CBT promotion exam on Thursday marked a significant turning point in Nigeria’s push for a modern and transparent civil service assessment system.

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board conducted a computer-based promotional test for 6,000 directorate-level staff under the Federal Civil Service Commission, delivering what many officials described as a powerful improvement from previous methods.

In the Federal Capital Territory, candidates sat for the test at the JAMB CBT centre in Kogo, Bwari Area Council. The examination was also administered in the United Kingdom, United States, India and Egypt, reflecting JAMB’s expanding digital capacity.

JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, praised the initiative and noted that many candidates arrived with visible apprehension but soon relaxed when they discovered how simple the examination interface was.

He stressed that the system required only basic digital skills and could be navigated with the same ease as using a mobile phone.

He said the Federal Civil Service Commission had taken a bold and visionary step that would gradually reduce the fear of technology across the civil service. According to him, once candidates saw the instructions, many began to smile in relief and confidence.

Dr Hussaini Adamu, the Commissioner representing the FCT and Niger, expressed satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the assessment, which began on Wednesday with 1,500 candidates across three sessions.

He described the CBT approach as more transparent and far preferable to the old pen-and-paper system.

He said the examination halls were monitored through CCTV cameras, adding that the environment was secure, orderly and comfortable.

He highlighted the integrity of the system, saying the process reflected JAMB’s decades of experience in managing high-stakes examinations.

Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof Adetunji Olaopa, described the adoption of the CBT format as a small but significant step forward.

He said this was the first time the commission would use a computer-based format for staff promotion and credited JAMB’s strong institutional integrity for the confidence to proceed.

He said the partnership with JAMB, led by Professor Oloyede, assured the commission that the process would succeed and set a new standard for future assessments.

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The successful conduct of the JAMB CBT promotion exam is expected to lay the groundwork for a more efficient, transparent and technologically confident federal civil service.