Nigerian Education Crisis: JAMB Uncovers Widespread Exam Fraud

The Nigerian education sector is in serious trouble, according to Jake Epelle, the Chairman of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)’s Special Committee on Examination Infractions. Epelle issued the stern warning during an appearance on Channels Television’s “Politics Today,” in reaction to his committee’s recent report on widespread examination fraud.

The committee’s investigation into the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) uncovered thousands of cases of sophisticated fraud. The report detailed 4,251 instances of “finger blending,” a form of biometric manipulation, as well as 190 cases of impersonation that were assisted by Artificial Intelligence (AI) through image morphing. Epelle stated that these findings reveal a systemic issue that threatens the credibility of the entire education system.

He cautioned that if left unaddressed, this wave of examination malpractice would “continue to erode merit, undermine public trust, and destroy the very foundation of Nigeria’s education and human capital development.” Epelle stressed that urgent reforms are needed to prevent the further collapse of the nation’s educational integrity.