Special committee of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered alarming levels of technology-driven malpractice undermining the integrity of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Gatekeepers News reports that the JAMB Special Committee on Examination Infractions, in a report submitted to Registrar Ishaq Oloyede on Monday, revealed widespread abuse of artificial intelligence and biometric manipulation by fraud syndicates.
Committee chairman Jake Epelle said the investigation exposed 192 cases of AI-assisted impersonation using image morphing, commonly known as “deepfakes.” This technique superimposes a candidate’s face onto another person’s body, enabling impostors to bypass biometric verification systems.
The report also highlighted 4,251 instances of “finger blending” — a method of merging or altering fingerprints to allow multiple people to register under one identity.
Other infractions included 1,878 false disability claims, forged credentials, multiple National Identification Number (NIN) registrations, and collusion with computer-based test operators.
Epelle warned that exam fraud has become “highly organised, technology-driven, and dangerously normalised,” with parents, tutorial centres, schools, and even CBT operators complicit. He added that weak legal frameworks continue to frustrate prosecution and enforcement.
To tackle the threat, the committee recommended a multi-pronged approach, including the deployment of AI-powered tools to detect biometric anomalies, real-time monitoring of exam processes, and the creation of a central security operations centre for examinations.
The committee, inaugurated on August 18, was mandated to investigate the rising cases of malpractice, review JAMB’s systems, and propose comprehensive reforms to safeguard the examination process.
