By Rosemary Etim Bassey
The Registrar and CEO of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has warned that students and parents involved in exam fraud will face serious consequences. He called the recent cheating cases “a grave and disturbing development” that threatens the fairness of Nigeria’s education system.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Oloyede said the Board is committed to protecting the integrity of the UTME and ensuring that honest candidates are not cheated out of their chances.
“Over the years, JAMB has invested a lot—money, technology, and effort—to make sure the exam is fair,” he said. “These steps are necessary to protect students who work hard and play by the rules.”
Investigations have revealed criminal networks using AI to impersonate JAMB officials and trick candidates into paying for fake assistance. Oloyede stressed that some students and their parents were involved too.
“Students and parents who paid for this help are not innocent,” he said. “We are recommending that their registrations be cancelled.” Over 100 candidates across 25 states were implicated, with 83 confirmed to have made payments.
Oloyede also addressed false claims that registration fees had increased. “This is completely untrue. If anyone is charging more than last year’s fees, report them immediately. We have not increased fees.”
Several CBT centres have already been sanctioned, and some school proprietors were also among those arrested. Oloyede rejected suggestions that JAMB should negotiate with offenders, comparing it to negotiating with criminals.
He reminded everyone that paying for exam fraud is a crime. Being part of WhatsApp groups offering these fake services is also punishable. Ignorance will not be accepted as an excuse.
To parents, he said: “Paying for fraud doesn’t secure a child’s future—it ruins it. You are teaching them that cheating is okay and that hard work doesn’t matter.”
Oloyede reassured Nigerians that JAMB has strong systems to detect fraud, including devices that candidates are not allowed to use. “We are ahead of them. The problem is public perception, not our capacity,” he said.
He also warned about underage candidates being involved, often with parents paying for their cheating. JAMB’s role is to conduct exams fairly, not teach morals, but he appealed to the media to help educate parents on the dangers of introducing children to crime.
The 2026 UTME registration started on January 26 and closed at accredited centres on February 28. As of February 17, over 1.5 million candidates had registered.