The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has raised fresh concerns over the rising wave of sophisticated, technology-enabled malpractice threatening the credibility of Nigeria’s admission process.
This follows the submission of a detailed report by JAMB’s Special Committee on Examination Infractions (SCEI), presented in Abuja on Monday to the Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, by committee chairman, Dr. Jake Epelle.
According to Epelle, the panel uncovered 4,251 cases of “finger blending” and 190 instances of AI-assisted impersonation through image morphing during its investigation into the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Other irregularities included 1,878 false disability claims, forged credentials, multiple NIN registrations, and collusion between candidates and syndicates.
Epelle described the assignment as “a moral obligation, a national service, and a fight for the soul of meritocracy in Nigeria.” He stressed that the malpractice uncovered was not only technical but also highly organised, technology-driven, and alarmingly normalised.
The findings highlight that parents, tutorial centres, schools, and even some CBT operators were complicit, while weak legal frameworks hampered effective enforcement.
ALSO READ:75 countries crash out of 2026 World Cup qualifiers
To address the challenge of JAMB exam malpractice 2025, the committee recommended a multi-pronged strategy:
-
Deployment of AI-powered biometric anomaly detection tools and real-time monitoring.
-
Establishment of a central Examination Security Operations Centre.
-
Cancellation of fraudulent results and sanctions, including one- to three-year bans and prosecution.
-
Creation of a Central Sanctions Registry accessible to institutions and employers.
-
Preventive reforms such as digitising correction processes, strengthening disability verification, and outlawing bulk school-led registrations.
The committee also called for amendments to the JAMB Act and the Examination Malpractice Act to cover biometric and digital fraud, and the creation of a Legal Unit within JAMB.
Beyond technical measures, the panel urged a nationwide Integrity First cultural reorientation campaign, embedding ethics in school curricula, and holding parents accountable for aiding malpractice. For offenders under 18, it recommended rehabilitative measures under the Child Rights Act, such as counselling and supervised reintegration.
Epelle warned that without urgent reforms, the credibility of Nigeria’s education system could collapse further.
“If left unchecked, examination malpractice will continue to erode merit, undermine public trust, and destroy the very foundation of Nigeria’s education and human capital development,” he cautioned.