A Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) committee has uncovered a large-scale cheating scandal involving 6,319 candidates in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Presenting its report in Abuja on Monday, the committee, chaired by Dr Jake Epelle, said the malpractice was sophisticated and enabled by technology. It documented 4,251 cases of “finger blending”, 190 cases of AI-assisted image morphing, and 1,878 false declarations of albinism. Other methods included forged credentials, multiple National Identity Numbers, and syndicate-led schemes involving some CBT centres, schools, parents, and tutorial operators.
The committee warned that the legal framework for tackling biometric and digital fraud remained weak, with growing risks to public confidence in the admissions process.
It recommended cancelling the results of confirmed offenders, banning candidates for up to three years, and prosecuting both candidates and accomplices. For minors, it proposed rehabilitative measures under the Child Rights Act.
Other proposals include deploying AI-powered biometric detection, real-time monitoring, and creating a National Examination Security Operations Centre. The committee also urged amendments to the JAMB Act and Examination Malpractice Act to cover digital fraud. “The integrity of Nigeria’s education system is at stake,” Dr Epelle said, calling for urgent reforms.
