The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has proposed strict punitive measures against 11 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and several candidates implicated in biometric discrepancies during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration exercise.
Speaking in Abuja after a strategic meeting with key stakeholders and a separate engagement with those involved, JAMB’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed the developments on Tuesday.
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Prof. Oloyede stated that the Board remains unwavering in its commitment to maintaining the sanctity of its examination procedures. He disclosed that recommendations have been forwarded to the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, for approval.
As part of the proposed penalties, anyone found guilty of registering over 50 candidates with fingerprint anomalies will face a three-year exclusion from participating in JAMB activities. This includes the inability to register for UTME or partake in other national examinations such as those conducted by WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB.
“And what that means is that such a person will not participate in any UTME exercise, will not be registered for the UTME even as a student, and will not be allowed to participate in any of the sister examinations, be it WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB, and this is to be for three years.
“The suspension is to stay for three years. After three years, the Board will revisit it and look at the issue. If the registrant has shown any remorse, such a suspension could be lifted.
“And others who have registered less than 50 will be warned and they will be required to write a letter of apology to the Board after issuing a bond, indicating that they will not be involved in such a thing again,” he added.
Regarding the implicated centres, JAMB stated that each of the 11 centres will receive formal warnings and will be mandated to sign undertakings for ethical conduct. They are also required to provide verifiable proof that their personnel have undergone ethics training, coordinated by nearby federal universities.
“Then for CBT centres, all CBT centres involved are to be warned, and then they will be asked to sign a bond. And besides the bond, they will also be required to give evidence of the training of their registrants.
“And that training should be anchored by any of the federal universities within their vicinity. That training should be anchored by the appropriate department of the university within its vicinity.
“We will not allow any of these centres to engage in future UTME activities until they present certificates from federal institutions confirming that their staff have been trained on ethical standards,” Oloyede said through Fabian Benjamin, Public Communication Adviser, JAMB.
CBT centres affiliated with the federal government will have their cases referred to the appropriate government bodies for further disciplinary measures.
During the engagement, several of the accused CBT operators and registrants confessed to fingerprint-sharing activities during registration, attributing their actions to ignorance or external pressure to accommodate more candidates. Many became emotional during the proceedings and appealed for leniency.
Fatai Owoseni, a former Lagos State Police Commissioner who attended the meeting, described the actions as criminal, emphasizing the need for legal consequences.
Still, he urged the Board to temper justice with mercy, provided the offenders commit to not repeating the offense.One of the indicted CBT centres, Jicoras CBT Centre, represented by Bashir Gumel, acknowledged the wrongdoing and noted that an internal investigation was already underway, promising to share its findings with JAMB.
“We are in a catchment area with few CBT centres. While this is our first experience, we acknowledge the wrongdoing and assure the Board it will not happen again,” Gumel said.
The affected centres are: Misau Emirate ICT Centre, Misau, Bauchi State, Ijaw National Academy, Kiama, Bayelsa State, Directorate of ICT, Nigerian Army University, Biu, Gombe State, Emerald IT Academy Limited, Benin City, Edo State, Tigh Technologies, Sascon International School, Maitama, Abuja, Jicoras CBT Centre, Babura, Jigawa State, Huntsville Technology Limited, Anthony, Lagos State, Jolas College CBT Centre, Obalende, Lagos StateAbdul Ocean Weath CBT Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Wase, Plateau State, Consulate Salle D’Examen CBT Centre, Jonny Lane/Navy Barrack, Agip Estate, Rivers State.
JAMB reaffirmed its unwavering stance against examination fraud and called on all actors within the education sector to champion the values of integrity, transparency, and accountability.
 has proposed strict punitive measures against 11 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and several candidates implicated in biometric discrepancies during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration exercise.){kind=link}