By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Nigeria’s JAMB Vows To Shut Down CBT Centres Over UTME Fraud, Owners Face Jail
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to shut down computer-based test (CBT) centres implicated in large-scale examination fraud during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), warning that their owners could face jail terms.
The chairman of JAMB’s Special Committee on Examination Infractions (SCEIi), Jake Epelle, revealed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He disclosed that the committee uncovered more than 4,000 cases of malpractice tied to several CBT centres across Nigeria.
“What we saw is shocking — manipulations, fraudulent transactions, and young people deploying advanced technology. Many CBT centres will be shut down, their equipment seized, and their owners jailed,” Epelle stated.
The investigation documented 4,251 cases of fingerprint manipulation, 192 incidents of artificial intelligence-assisted impersonation, as well as forged documents, multiple National Identification Number (NIN) registrations, and collusion with examination syndicates.
Epelle also attributed 80 per cent of the infractions to desperate parents seeking unearned marks for their children, urging JAMB to begin “naming and shaming” such individuals. He stressed that schools and tutorial centres were also complicit in aiding candidates to cheat.
While dismissing claims that JAMB’s system had been compromised, he explained that the infractions reflected the misuse of technology in today’s digital age. He, however, recommended that the examination body adopt stronger security measures, including AI-powered biometric checks, real-time surveillance, and a central security operations hub.
The revelations come amid widespread controversy over the 2025 UTME results. JAMB admitted that technical glitches affected 157 centres nationwide, leading to unusually low scores. About 380,000 candidates have been directed to retake the exam.
Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede apologised to affected candidates, noting that while the setback was regrettable, JAMB remained committed to transparency, fairness, and equity.
A statistical breakdown showed that of the 1.95 million candidates who sat for the 2025 UTME, over 1.5 million scored below 200, raising further concerns about performance standards in Nigeria’s education system.
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