A special investigative panel set up by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has recommended the cancellation of thousands of results from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) after uncovering widespread and technology-driven malpractice.
The Special Committee on Examination Infractions (SCEI), led by Dr. Jake Epelle, presented its findings to the JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, in Abuja on Monday, September 8, 2025. The committee, which was inaugurated in August with a three-week mandate, revealed shocking details of how fraudulent practices undermined the credibility of the examination.
According to the report, at least 4,251 cases of “finger blending”—a biometric manipulation tactic used to bypass identity verification—and 190 instances of AI-powered impersonation through image morphing were detected. Beyond this, the committee also identified 1,878 false disability claims, forged academic credentials, multiple National Identification Number (NIN) registrations, and collusion between candidates and organized examination syndicates.
Dr. Epelle lamented that exam malpractice in Nigeria has become “highly organised, technology-driven, and dangerously normalised.” He noted that the fraud extended beyond candidates, with parents, tutorial centres, schools, and even some Computer-Based Test (CBT) operators implicated. Weak legal frameworks and poor enforcement, he added, have emboldened perpetrators.
The committee recommended that JAMB adopt a multi-pronged strategy to combat the menace, including the use of AI-powered biometric anomaly detection tools, real-time monitoring of CBT centres, and the creation of a central examination security operations centre. In addition, it advised that fraudulent results be cancelled, offenders be banned for one to three years, and both candidates and collaborators be prosecuted. A central sanctions registry accessible to tertiary institutions and employers was also proposed to ensure accountability.
JAMB’s data further showed that 19 CBT centres across the country were involved in malpractice during the 2025 UTME. Anambra and Imo States recorded the highest number of implicated centres, while Kano, Abia, Edo, Ebonyi, Delta, Kaduna, Rivers, and Enugu also featured on the list.
The development comes amid growing concerns about the credibility of Nigeria’s admission process. Stakeholders warn that unless drastic reforms are implemented, exam malpractice could further undermine the value of tertiary education in the country.
