Exam Malpractice in Nigeria
In a bold move to sanitize Nigeria’s examination system, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has directed all major examination bodies: JAMB, WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB to take firm action against exam malpractice. This directive follows the shocking revelations of widespread cheating during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
In a letter dated May 27, 2025, Dr. Alausa instructed these bodies to blacklist Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and students found guilty of cheating and promoting Exam Malpractice in Nigeria. He emphasized that any CBT centre or school involved in malpractice especially those acting as so-called “miracle centres” should be derecognized for a specific number of years. The number of years will be determined by the examination body involved.
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Exam Malpractice in Nigeria
The Minister stressed that if one examination body derecognizes a CBT centre or school, other exam bodies must follow suit, enforcing the same punishment for the same duration. This unified response, according to him, will send a strong message to the operators of these fraudulent centres and ensure that offenders don’t simply switch between exam bodies.
He added:
“The student(s) involved in examination malpractice should be barred from sitting for any national external examinations such as WAEC, NECO, NABTEB for a period of three years. Their details should be tracked and flagged using the National Identification Number (NIN) system.”
This step, he believes, will serve as a powerful deterrent to students, schools, and even parents who support or ignore Exam Malpractice in Nigeria.
Dr. Alausa’s directive is not just a reaction to recent events it is backed by law. He cited Section 16(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act, which empowers examination bodies to circulate the names of offenders and allow other exam bodies to impose similar sanctions.
JAMB Uncovers Advanced Digital Fraud in 2025 UTME
This strong government action comes on the heels of disturbing findings from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). While announcing the 2025 UTME resit results, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed that the board had uncovered high-level, digitized exam fraud.
Prof. Oloyede stated:
“While some are busy with conspiracy theories and hate speech, the real threat is the high-tech exam malpractice endangering Nigeria’s future. We’ve discovered collusion between certain school proprietors and accredited CBT centres to hack into the systems of other centres.”
Some of the fraudulent methods uncovered include:
- FG Moves Against Exam Malpractice: JAMB, WAEC, NECO, NABTEB to Blacklist Guilty CBT Centres and StudentsFG Moves Against Exam Malpractice: JAMB, WAEC, NECO, NABTEB to Blacklist Guilty CBT Centres and Students
- AI-generated photo blending, where a candidate’s image is digitally merged with that of an impersonator.
- Combined fingerprints registration, involving multiple people for a single UTME candidate.
- Use of mercenaries and professional writers registered under fake identities.
- LAN extension from official centres to secret “strong rooms” where real-time cheating was coordinated.
JAMB noted that many of those involved are current undergraduate students aiding new candidates to cheat.
Over 3,000 Candidates Implicated
As of now, over 3,000 candidates have been identified as participants or beneficiaries of this large-scale fraud. Some of their results—already released—have been withdrawn, and more will follow once investigations conclude.
“Every candidate involved in malpractice will have their result revoked, even if it has already been released. Nobody will be spared,” Oloyede confirmed.
This nationwide crackdown is a wake-up call to everyone involved in the education system parents, school owners, students, and even CBT centre operators. The government and exam bodies are clearly no longer willing to tolerate academic dishonesty, and new technologies such as NIN tracking and AI surveillance are being used to catch culprits.
As Nigeria looks forward to implementing a full WAEC CBT system by 2026, it’s clear that a cleaner, more transparent education system is the goal. And with these new measures, exam malpractice in Nigeria may finally face the end of the road.
