The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has acknowledged a strikingly low turnout for the recent mop‑up session of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with over 80% of scheduled candidates failing to show. This unusually sparse attendance has been largely attributed to the Board’s intensified security protocols aimed at curbing impersonation and exam malpractice.
Registrar Professor Is‑haq Oloyede, who was overseeing the mop‑up session at a CBT centre in NAF Valley Estate, Abuja, shared that only about 12 percent of the 98,232 registered candidates reported for the exam. That equates to roughly 12,000 individuals—a sharp decline from the usual figures expected during mop‑up exercises.
Traditionally, mop‑up exams are intended for those with legitimate reasons—such as illness or technical problems—for missing the main UTME. Historically, only about 4,000 to 5,000 candidates partake in the make‑up sessions. However, this year, JAMB broadened eligibility, allowing all who missed the main exam to register again. It appears, though, that this open-door approach did not yield higher participation.
Professor Oloyede emphasised that JAMB, in collaboration with security agencies like the DSS and the Nigeria Police, pre‑emptively deployed intelligence to detect and deter impersonators. Their actions appear to have been effective, with many potential fraudsters clearly deterred by the heightened security presence.
“We relied on intelligence gathered with the security agencies to prevent impersonation,” he explained. According to reports, several CBT centres that typically anticipate around 250 candidates per session recorded fewer than 20 attendees—a result that was both expected and seen as a sign of the initiative’s effectiveness.
One of the more startling revelations from the monitoring exercise involved the sudden surge in candidates with declared albinism. While JAMB normally records fewer than 100 albino candidates annually, this year’s data showed 1,787—a clear red flag. The Board suspects this influx represented fraudulent attempts to exploit perceived vulnerabilities in the new facial recognition protocol, with instances of non‑albinos being arrested after falsely claiming albinism.
“You had a centre where 450 purported albinos were registered,” Oloyede observed. “We tracked these and found fewer than 250 genuine cases. A black man was apprehended in Benin for impersonating an albino.”
He made it clear that candidates who registered but didn’t show up are not off the hook. With their NINs, phone numbers, and school details recorded during registration, they remain traceable and accountable. “Suspected impersonators who tried to claim exclusion from the main UTME but didn’t attend this session will still be pursued,” he asserted.
Further, Oloyede issued a warning to parents and tutorial centres: funding malpractice schemes for their children will come with consequences. Legal action may follow any parent or educational institution found complicit in facilitating cheating.
In addition, the mop‑up exam saw scrutiny beyond impersonation efforts. JAMB is investigating candidates who allegedly used fabricated certificates to gain admission via Direct Entry. To date, 14 candidates have been caught presenting forged NCE credentials—some falsely claiming to have earned certificates. Alarmingly, one candidate reportedly listed secondary completion in 2021 and claimed NCE attendance in 2020—a chronological impossibility.
“Their certificates suggest they didn’t attend NCE, yet they claimed to have graduated in 2023 despite finishing secondary school only recently,” Oloyede said.
Regarding the mop‑up exam results, JAMB had originally planned to release them by Saturday. However, Oloyede advised that publication may be deferred until Monday, June 30, to allow time for thorough scrutiny and to remove results from candidates suspected of cheating.
This is not an isolated incident. Earlier reports noted that only 12.6% of eligible candidates had printed their plea slips in advance, underscoring the continuing disinterest or apprehension among candidates. JAMB emphasised that failure to print notification slips would mean forfeiture of the opportunity to sit the mop‑up exam.
As Nigeria prepares for subsequent UTME Cadetities, these developments signal a significant shift. While the Board’s actions appear to have successfully disrupted cheating syndicates, they have also highlighted the challenge of regaining students’ trust and participation—especially among those legitimately affected by the main exam setbacks.
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