The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to dismiss three of its staff members over alleged involvement in the sale of unauthorised access to its examination portal ahead of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja, describing the development as a direct threat to merit and integrity in Nigeria’s education system.
According to him, investigations uncovered an internal compromise linked to organised criminal syndicates that allegedly exploited the system for financial gain. Two additional officials in Kaduna and Katsina states are currently under investigation.
Criminal Networks, AI Tools Exposed
Oloyede revealed that some of the criminal networks deployed artificial intelligence tools to impersonate JAMB officials and defraud candidates seeking unfair advantage in the UTME.
“This development strikes at the heart of fairness, merit and integrity,” he said, adding that the Board has invested significantly in securing its examination processes.
Over 100 candidates were reportedly involved in the scheme after allegedly paying for illegal assistance to manipulate their examination prospects. Their registrations are now subject to cancellation, pending approval from the Minister of Education.
“Paying for examination fraud is a crime. It does not secure a child’s future; it destroys it,” the Registrar warned, stressing that neither candidates nor parents found culpable should consider themselves victims.
38,000 Underage Registrants Identified
JAMB also expressed concern over the rising number of underage applicants. The Board disclosed that approximately 38,000 candidates who registered for the 2026 UTME fall below the approved admission age.
The Registrar noted that underage candidates are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation and recruitment into malpractice networks.
Centres Suspended, Security Agencies Involved
The Board denied reports of increased registration fees but confirmed that several Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and tutorial operators implicated in fraudulent activities have been suspended or arrested.
Ongoing investigations are being supported by the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force.
Oloyede maintained that JAMB possesses the technical and institutional capacity to combat examination malpractice but acknowledged that enforcement measures often attract criticism.
“Our only challenge is public opinion. When we act, some label us draconian,” he said.
The Board reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the integrity of the UTME, warning that any individual — staff, candidate, parent, or proprietor — found undermining the system would face the full weight of the law.
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