By DAYO ADESULU
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered more than 6,000 cases of technology-driven examination malpractice in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), raising alarm over the growing sophistication of fraud in Nigeria’s education system.
This revelation came from the Special Committee on Examination Infractions, chaired by Dr. Jake Epelle, during the presentation of its investigative report in Abuja on Monday.
🔍 Breakdown of Malpractice Cases
The committee described exam malpractice as now being “a highly organised, technology-driven, and culturally normalised enterprise.”
Key findings include:
- 4,251 cases of “finger blending” (biometric fraud).
- 190 cases of AI-assisted image morphing.
- 1,878 false claims of albinism to bypass standard verification.
- Multiple cases of fake National Identification Numbers (NINs).
- Credential forgery & syndicate-backed fraud schemes, allegedly supported by some CBT centres, schools, parents, and tutorial operators.
⚖️ Weak Laws, Rising Threats
Dr. Epelle warned that Nigeria’s current legal framework is inadequate to handle the rising wave of biometric and digital fraud, stressing that public trust in JAMB’s exams is at risk.
🛡️ Committee Recommendations
To safeguard the integrity of future UTME exams, the panel recommended that JAMB should:
- Deploy AI-powered biometric anomaly detection.
- Introduce dual verification systems and real-time monitoring.
- Establish a National Examination Security Operations Centre.
- Cancel confirmed fraudulent results and ban candidates for 1–3 years.
- Prosecute offenders and collaborators (including schools, CBT operators, and parents).
- Create a Central Sanctions Registry accessible to universities and employers.
The committee further urged amendments to the JAMB Act and the Examination Malpractice Act, to officially recognise digital and biometric fraud as criminal offences.
JAMB set up the Special Committee on August 18, 2025, with the mandate to investigate rising cases of high-tech cheating and recommend strong deterrent measures.
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