The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has identified Anambra and Lagos as the states with the highest number of candidates under investigation for examination malpractice in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking during a press briefing held on Friday at the Board’s headquarters in Abuja, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed that several sophisticated forms of exam fraud were uncovered during both the registration and examination phases.
According to him, some candidates colluded with officials at certain Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres to manipulate biometric data, by combining the thumbprints of genuine candidates and impersonators at the point of registration. He described the practice as a disturbing evolution in examination malpractice. Other fraudulent tactics detected included double registration and substitution of candidates on the day of the examination.
Anambra State recorded the highest number of suspects, with 14 individuals apprehended — 13 for impersonation and one for photo mismatch. Lagos followed with nine suspects involved in impersonation, espionage, and illegal possession of mobile phones during the examination.
Further arrests were recorded in other states. Delta had eight suspects, all for impersonation. In Kano, seven candidates were implicated in impersonation and phone possession, while six suspects were arrested in Kaduna. Rivers State also reported six arrests, linked to impersonation and possession of phones and calculators. Ebonyi and Enugu states recorded five suspects each, also for impersonation-related offences.
In what the Registrar described as one of the most bizarre incidents, JAMB disclosed that a blind candidate hired another visually impaired undergraduate to impersonate him during the exam.
The Board also released the official results of the 2025 UTME, indicating that over 1.5 million out of the 1.9 million candidates scored below 200 — a benchmark widely regarded as the minimum score for competitive admission. The UTME, which is graded over a total of 400 marks, tests candidates in four subjects, with English Language being compulsory and three others based on the candidate’s intended course of study.
As public concern grows over both examination integrity and declining performance, JAMB has pledged to step up its oversight of CBT centres and tighten enforcement measures in future examination cycles.
