A special committee set up by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has recommended the cancellation of results for 6,319 candidates who engaged in technology-driven cheating during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The committee, led by Dr. Jake Epelle, also suggested imposing bans of one to three years on affected candidates and prosecuting them alongside their collaborators.
The committee uncovered various forms of cheating, including, 4,251 cases of finger blending, 190 cases of AI-assisted image morphing, 1,878 false declarations of albinism, credential forgery, multiple NIN registrations and solicitation schemes.
Epelle emphasized that the cheating wasn’t limited to candidates alone but involved a larger network, including some CBT centers, schools, parents, tutorial operators, and technical accomplices.
“To restore integrity to Nigeria’s admission system, we propose a multi-layered framework built on detection, deterrence, and prevention:
“Detection: Deploy AI-powered biometric anomaly detection, dual verification systems, real-time monitoring, and a National Examination Security Operations Centre.
”Deterrence: Cancel results of confirmed fraudulent candidates, impose bans of 1–3 years, prosecute both candidates and their collaborators, and create a Central Sanctions Registry accessible to institutions and employers.
“Prevention: Strengthen mobile-first self-service platforms, digitize correction workflows, tighten disability verification, and ban bulk school-led registrations.
“Legal Reform: Amend the JAMB Act and the Examination Malpractice Act to recognize biometric and digital fraud, and provide for a Legal Unit within JAMB”, Jake Epelle said.
Meanwhile, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede assured that the board would prioritize implementing these recommendations while consulting with the Minister of Education on certain issues.
He stressed that examination malpractice undermines the credibility of assessments and has severe consequences, producing incompetent professionals and perpetuating underdevelopment.
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