Nigeria’s examination body, JAMB, is facing what it calls a “new era of organised digital malpractice” after its special investigative panel uncovered over 6,000 high-tech fraud cases in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Presenting the report in Abuja on Monday, the chairman of the Special Committee on Examination Infractions, Dr. Jake Epelle, said the findings paint a troubling picture of a system under siege. Among the shocking discoveries was the fact that 1,878 candidates falsely claimed to be persons with Albinism in a bid to secure concessions. Others deployed biometric tricks, forged credentials, or used fake National Identification Numbers to beat the system.
The committee’s breakdown showed 4,251 cases of “finger blending,” 190 instances of AI-aided image morphing, and multiple syndicate-backed schemes involving tutorial centres, schools, parents, and even some CBT operators. Epelle warned: “This fraud is not just the work of candidates; it is sustained by an ecosystem of collaborators.”
The panel cautioned that existing laws cannot keep pace with the sophistication of digital fraud. To restore public trust, it recommended AI-driven biometric anomaly detection, real-time monitoring, a National Examination Security Operations Centre, and tougher sanctions, including result cancellations, bans of up to three years, prosecutions, and a Central Sanctions Registry for offenders.
Beyond enforcement, the report urged reforms within JAMB, such as digitising correction workflows, tightening disability verification, banning bulk school-led registrations, and pressing for legislative amendments to formally recognise biometric and digital fraud. The committee, inaugurated on August 18, stressed that failure to act swiftly could erode confidence in Nigeria’s entire tertiary admissions process.
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