Nigeria’s university admissions system is facing its gravest credibility test after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) uncovered widespread technology-driven malpractice in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
A report by JAMB’s Special Committee on Examination Infractions revealed 4,251 cases of “finger blending” — deliberate manipulation of biometric checks — and 190 instances of AI-assisted impersonation using image morphing.
Syndicate Networks and Complicity
The committee also identified 1,878 false disability claims, multiple fake NIN registrations, and evidence of collusion between candidates, parents, tutorial centres, and CBT operators.
“This is a moral obligation and a fight for the soul of meritocracy,” said committee chair Dr. Jake Epelle, who warned that malpractice has become “highly organised, technology-driven and dangerously normalised.”
Sanctions and Reforms Proposed
The panel recommended:
- AI-powered biometric anomaly tools.
- Real-time monitoring of exam centres.
- Creation of a Central Examination Security Operations Centre.
- Prosecution and one- to three-year bans for offenders.
- Establishment of a Central Sanctions Registry for institutions and employers.
For candidates under 18, rehabilitative measures under the Child Rights Act were suggested instead of punitive sanctions.
Legal Reforms and Cultural Reset
The committee called for amendments to the JAMB Act and Examination Malpractice Act to cover biometric and AI fraud. It also urged a nationwide Integrity First campaign, embedding ethics in schools and holding parents accountable.
“If left unchecked, examination malpractice will continue to erode merit, undermine public trust, and destroy the very foundation of Nigeria’s education system,” Epelle warned.
Threat to Education Credibility
The revelations have triggered alarm among educators, employers, and policymakers, who fear further erosion of confidence in Nigeria’s admission process and human capital development.
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