The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uncovered organised examination fraud syndicates deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to impersonate officials and defraud candidates registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Addressing journalists on Saturday, in Abuja, Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB, disclosed that three staff members would be dismissed for allegedly selling unauthorized access to the Board’s examination portal, as part of a sweeping crackdown on malpractice ahead of the UTME.
Describing the development as a serious threat to the integrity of the examination process, Oloyede said the Board had invested heavily in technology and monitoring systems to safeguard honest candidates, but criminal networks and internal collaborators were still attempting to compromise the system.
“This briefing addresses a grave development that strikes at the heart of fairness, merit and integrity. We have invested heavily to protect honest candidates, but criminal networks and willing collaborators continue to test the system,” he said
The Registrar revealed that more than 100 candidates allegedly paid for illegal assistance through the syndicates. He warned that their registrations could be cancelled, subject to the approval of the Minister of Education.
According to him, two additional staff members in Kaduna and Katsina states are currently under investigation, while sanctions are also being considered for candidates and parents implicated in the scheme.
Oloyede stressed that parents and candidates involved in examination fraud cannot be regarded as innocent, insisting that paying for malpractice undermines the future of the affected candidates.
“We have the capacity to clamp down on exam malpractice. Our only challenge is public opinion. When we act, some label us draconian. Paying for examination fraud is a crime; it does not secure a child’s future, it destroys it,” he stated
The Board also raised concerns over underage participation in the 2026 UTME, disclosing that about 38,000 candidates registered this year were below the approved age.
It warned that many underage candidates are increasingly being linked to organized malpractice rings.
JAMB further denied reports of an increase in registration fees, describing such claims as false and misleading.
Meanwhile, several Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers and tutorial operators allegedly connected to the fraud have been suspended or taken into custody even as security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force, are supporting ongoing investigations.
The Board reiterated its commitment to protecting the credibility of the UTME and ensuring that only deserving candidates gain admission into tertiary institutions across the country.
