A major investigation into Nigeria’s university entrance exams has uncovered sophisticated, technology-driven cheating on a large scale.
A special panel found thousands of cases where candidates used advanced tricks to bypass security systems.
The probe, led by a committee known as the Special Committee on Examination Infractions (SCEI), revealed 4,251 instances of ‘finger blends’. This term refers to the practice of using artificial fingerprints or other materials to trick the biometric machines that are meant to verify a test-taker’s identity.
Perhaps more startling was the discovery of 190 cases of ‘AI-assisted impersonation through image morphing’. This complex method uses Artificial Intelligence to digitally alter a photograph. In this scandal, it was used to make a professional exam impostor, or a ‘ringer’, look like the real candidate in the system.
The committee’s chairman, Jake Epelle, presented these findings to the head of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, in Abuja. He stated that cheating has become “highly organised” and “dangerously normalised,” with parents, tutorial centres, and even some exam centre staff being involved.
Beyond the high-tech cheating, the report also documented 1,878 false disability claims, forged credentials, and candidates registering multiple times with different National Identification Numbers (NIN).
The panel was set up in August to look into rising malpractices and suggest reforms. It is now urging JAMB to fight technology with technology.
Its key recommendations include using AI-powered tools to spot biometric anomalies and setting up a central security centre to monitor exams in real-time. The goal is to protect the integrity of the admissions process for honest students.
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