The Federal Ministry of Education has directed key national examination bodies—JAMB, WAEC, NECO and NABTEB—to implement a coordinated ban on over 3,000 candidates involved in high-level examination malpractice following revelations of widespread fraud during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The directive, issued by Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, is contained in an official letter dated May 27, 2025, addressed to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and its sister agencies.
It mandates the immediate blacklisting of implicated candidates and derecognition of computer-based test (CBT) centres found culpable in the national scandal.
The move follows JAMB’s confirmation that the 2025 UTME was marred by “advanced level digitised fraud,” including sophisticated impersonation tactics, remote hacking of CBT servers and coordinated collusion between centre proprietors and mercenary candidates.
In compliance with the ministerial directive, affected students are to be barred from sitting for any national examination—including those conducted by WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB—for a minimum period of three years.
The enforcement will rely on the National Identification Number (NIN) system to track and restrict future registrations.
“This action is in line with Section 16(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act, which allows examination bodies to circulate names of offending candidates and enforce joint sanctions,” the letter stated.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that schools and CBT centres identified as “miracle centres” or found complicit in fraud should face derecognition for a term to be determined by the relevant examination body.
He further directed that any sanctions imposed by one agency must be adopted by others to ensure consistency and send a strong message of zero tolerance for malpractice.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, while presenting findings from the board’s internal investigations, disclosed that more than 3,000 candidates had been linked to systemic fraud across multiple states.
He noted that several results were withdrawn after forensic reviews and confessions obtained by security agencies.
“Unfortunately, many of the candidates involved are current undergraduates recruited as mercenaries to manipulate the process,” Oloyede stated. “In some centres, the Local Area Networks were extended to off-site locations to facilitate remote access to candidate terminals.”
The registrar further described tactics such as AI-assisted photo blending, biometric fraud through combined fingerprints and premeditated disruption of exam halls to pair candidates with impersonators.
To support ongoing investigations, security agencies have detained a number of CBT operators and school officials believed to be at the core of the network. Evidence gathered is expected to lead to additional arrests and result withdrawals in the coming weeks.
Dr. Alausa reiterated that a unified and aggressive enforcement strategy is necessary to restore public trust in Nigeria’s examination system.
“The future of our education system is being undermined by digital fraud,” he said. “We must act decisively to protect its integrity.”
Examination bodies are expected to issue circulars to institutions, security agencies, and other relevant stakeholders in the coming days outlining implementation procedures and timelines for sanctions.
The Federal Government’s crackdown comes amid renewed efforts to sanitise Nigeria’s education sector and deter academic dishonesty through stronger enforcement mechanisms, inter-agency coordination and technology-driven identity validation processes.
Analysts view the NIN-backed restriction as a critical step toward eliminating recurring malpractice cycles and deterring future infractions, particularly as technology continues to play a central role in national examinations.
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