The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has revealed how the Board uncovered over 1,500 impersonators who falsely claimed to be persons with albinism in an attempt to bypass its biometric verification system during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking at a briefing in Abuja, Prof. Oloyede described a disturbing pattern where candidates used artificial intelligence (AI) tools to manipulate facial features. These tools were used to blend the images of two individuals, creating synthetic identities that mimicked those of persons with albinism in order to trick JAMB’s facial recognition system.
“Some candidates fraudulently identified themselves as persons with albinism to exploit potential weaknesses in our facial recognition technology,” he said. “They were not albinos. They relied on AI-generated features, which made their manipulation harder to detect unless closely scrutinized.”
The Registrar disclosed that the fraud came to light when JAMB detected unusual spikes in self-declared albino registrations. Traditionally, the number of albino candidates remained under 100 annually, but this year saw a dramatic surge to 1,787.
One of the most glaring anomalies emerged at a single registration centre where 450 supposed albino candidates were recorded — an unusually high number that raised immediate red flags.
“It was as though every person with albinism in Africa decided to register at that centre,” Prof. Oloyede remarked.
The scam began to unravel after a suspect in custody volunteered critical information that led JAMB to review all applications flagged for albinism. Following investigations, it was confirmed that the actual number of genuine albino candidates registered for the 2025 UTME was fewer than 250.
Prof. Oloyede cited a specific case in Benin City, Edo State, where a dark-complexioned impersonator falsely claimed to be a person with albinism — a clear example of the deception involved.
Explaining the AI method used, he said, “They blend the photos of two individuals so the final image resembles both. When used to impersonate a candidate, the AI-blended image appears legitimate. That’s how sophisticated AI is becoming — it’s picture blending technology.”
He assured the public that JAMB is enhancing its biometric verification measures and reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to cracking down on examination malpractice. He stressed that all those involved — including candidates and their collaborators — would be identified and brought to justice.
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