The 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) continues to spark controversy after revelations that some accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres connived with hackers to manipulate the examination process.
Investigations revealed that certain centre operators supplied sensitive server information to external syndicates, enabling large-scale malpractice that undermined the credibility of the examination.
In May, JAMB reported massive technical glitches that disrupted the UTME, leaving 1.5 million out of 1.9 million candidates scoring below 200 out of 400 marks. The incident was so devastating that the board’s Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, broke down in tears on May 14 while addressing the failures.
Security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force, subsequently arrested at least 20 suspects in Abuja for hacking CBT centres.
By August, JAMB announced that over 6,458 admission seekers were under investigation for their roles in technology-enabled examination malpractice. To confront the situation, the board set up a 23-member Special Committee on Examination Infraction to probe cases of cheating.
Hackers Speak Out
A hacker, who gave his name as Ahmed, explained how CBT servers were compromised. According to him, centre operators deliberately released their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to hackers. These addresses granted illegal access into servers, allowing mercenaries to write exams remotely on behalf of candidates.
Ahmed said:
“There are some centres that make their IPs available to hackers. With this, they are able to penetrate and gain access to questions and login details of candidates. There is no way they can monitor all the IP addresses in Nigeria.
While candidates are physically present at CBT centres, hired mercenaries remain outside with remote access to the centres’ servers to write the exams on their behalf.”
He further revealed that candidates were deliberately logged out mid-exam to allow external mercenaries to take over their sessions.
“While the questions are being answered by the mercenaries, we ask the candidates to time themselves for 20 or 25 minutes, then complain that their systems logged them out. During this period, we already have access to their portals and are helping them attempt the questions.”
Experts Confirm Insider Collusion
An education consultant based in Lagos corroborated Ahmed’s claims, insisting that exam malpractice at such scale would be impossible without insiders.
“Without an insider, there is no way we could get the IP address to get it done. These are the backdoors to this activity. These people are being paid millions of naira. The parents of these candidates have already paid everything to the centres.”
okay.ng reports that some CBT operators openly admitted they knew their servers were compromised but chose to ignore the situation because of the financial benefits.
JAMB’s Response
However, JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, denied that the board’s system itself was hackable.
“Our systems are locally connected. It is through a Local Area Network, not Internet-enabled. So, no one can see it anywhere. No question has ever been on our website. The examination is not internet-enabled.”
Benjamin clarified that what hackers accessed were local servers belonging to corrupt CBT centres, not JAMB’s main system.
Stakeholders Call for Reform
Despite these revelations, stakeholders believe that with proper monitoring and reforms, malpractice can be minimized.
Austin Ohaekelem, National President of the Computer Based Test Centre Proprietors Association of Nigeria, warned that genuine centres were being unfairly blacklisted over glitches.
Others, including tutorial school operators, urged JAMB to strengthen its technology, plug loopholes, and conduct internal reviews to restore public confidence.
