Nigeria’s admission process is facing a fresh wave of sophisticated examination fraud, with a new report revealing that technology-driven malpractice is quietly reshaping the future of higher education in the country.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) received the findings of its Special Committee on Examination Infractions (SCEI) in Abuja, uncovering thousands of cases that point to an alarming rise in organised cheating networks.
According to the committee’s chairman, Jake Epelle, the investigation exposed no fewer than 4,251 cases of “finger blending,” a scheme where candidates alter biometric data to sit exams on behalf of others.
In addition, 192 incidents of AI-powered impersonation through image morphing were also detected in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
“Cheating in examinations is no longer the crude practice it once was. We are now seeing artificial intelligence and advanced biometric manipulation being used at an industrial scale,” Epelle explained while submitting the report to JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.
But the rot runs deeper. The committee also documented 1,878 false disability claims, forged academic records, multiple National Identification Number (NIN) registrations, and evidence of collusion between candidates and well-connected examination syndicates.
Epelle, who described the malpractice ecosystem as “highly organised and dangerously normalised,” stressed that parents, tutorial centres, schools, and even some Computer-Based Test (CBT) operators are complicit in enabling these crimes.
“Some families are paying huge sums to cheat the system, believing it is a shortcut to success. Unfortunately, this mindset threatens the credibility of our entire educational structure,” he added.
The committee, inaugurated on August 18, was tasked with probing rising examination fraud, reviewing JAMB’s systems, and proposing urgent reforms.
Among its recommendations are the deployment of AI-powered biometric anomaly detectors, real-time monitoring of examination centres, and the creation of a centralised Examination Security Operations Centre to track irregularities as they happen.
Professor Oloyede, while receiving the report, described it as a wake-up call for the education sector, warning that without swift intervention, admission into Nigerian universities could lose all credibility.
Education experts believe that the latest findings could push JAMB to introduce stricter technological safeguards ahead of future examinations, while also prompting legislative changes to strengthen penalties for offenders.