The Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has charged 3,400 beneficiaries of the State’s free Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) e-PIN distribution to maximise the opportunity by being diligent and striving for excellence in their examinations.

Dr. Oyebanji gave the charge in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday at the flag-off of the 2026 edition of the initiative, reaffirming the state government’s unwavering commitment to human capital development through education.

She noted that the support provided by the government comes with high expectations, stressing that the success of each beneficiary would not only bring pride to their families but also contribute meaningfully to the development of Ekiti State and inspire other young people to dream big.

According to her, the state government had consistently procured and distributed 3,000 JAMB forms annually since, describing the initiative as part of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s broader efforts to extend the dividends of democracy to the youth and advance his administration’s human capital development agenda.

“Under the purposeful and visionary leadership of Governor Oyebanji, government has continued to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to human capital development, with education occupying a central place in its development agenda. This administration has consistently pursued policies and programmes that remove barriers to learning and ensure that every child has the opportunity to optimise his or her potential”.  She said.

Dr. Oyebanji explained that the distribution of free JAMB e-PINs for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) goes beyond facilitating registration, describing it as a deliberate effort to open doors of opportunity and reaffirm the belief that every hardworking and talented Ekiti child deserves a fair chance to pursue higher education.

She also emphasised the importance of equipping students with practical and employable skills, noting that the state government had strengthened technical and vocational education.

She highlighted the completion of the Skill Acquisition Centre located beside the Immigration Office in Ado-Ekiti as another milestone in promoting skills development, entrepreneurship and self-reliance among young people.

In her welcome address, the Chairperson of the Agency for Adult and Non-Formal Education, Chief Moji Fafure, described the gesture as a clear demonstration of the government’s responsiveness to the educational aspirations of the people.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tertiary Education, Prof. Akeem Azeez; Head of Service, Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi; Commissioner for Information, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun; and the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Bimpe Aderiye, commended the administration for its consistent support to less-privileged students across the state.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Miss Hassanat Momoh expressed appreciation to the state government, noting that the initiative would remove financial barriers and enable many students to pursue their educational dreams.