The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered widespread technology-driven examination malpractice in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with more than 6,000 cases recorded across the country. The revelations came to light following the submission of a detailed report by the Special Committee on Examination Infractions, which was inaugurated by the Board to investigate rising cases of exam fraud.
Presenting the report in Abuja on Monday, the committee’s chairman, Dr. Jake Epelle, described the findings as deeply troubling, warning that the increasing use of artificial intelligence and biometric manipulation by fraudulent candidates poses a major threat to the credibility of public examinations in Nigeria. He explained that the committee’s investigation revealed diverse tactics used to cheat the system, ranging from digital identity fraud to coordinated syndicate operations.
According to Epelle, at least 1,878 candidates were discovered to have falsely presented themselves as albinos in a bid to exploit special accommodations meant for visually impaired candidates. Beyond this, several others were found to have engaged in biometric-related malpractice, including multiple registrations with falsified fingerprints, impersonation, and sophisticated identity swaps designed to evade JAMB’s security protocols.
The committee also exposed widespread abuse of the National Identification Number (NIN) system, with many candidates presenting fake or stolen NINs to register for the examination. Investigators further uncovered cases of forged academic credentials submitted to support registration, alongside elaborate fraud schemes backed by organized syndicates who exploited loopholes in the digital enrollment process.
Dr. Epelle stressed that the alarming scale of infractions highlights both the ingenuity of exam fraudsters and the urgent need for stronger safeguards. He urged JAMB and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector to invest in more advanced forensic technologies capable of detecting AI-generated identity forgeries, as well as to strengthen collaboration with security agencies to dismantle criminal networks enabling exam malpractice.
He also called for stricter penalties against offenders, warning that unless decisive action is taken, the credibility of the UTME and the larger education system could be severely undermined. “We are not just dealing with ordinary malpractice; we are now contending with a digital crime wave that demands equally sophisticated countermeasures,” he said.
The report has since been submitted to JAMB’s Registrar, who is expected to review its recommendations and outline next steps. Education observers say the findings could lead to sweeping reforms in how the UTME is conducted, particularly in tightening biometric verification, integrating AI fraud detection tools, and imposing harsher sanctions on fraudulent candidates and their collaborators.
