The decision was disclosed on Tuesday by the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during a high-level consultative meeting with stakeholders in Abuja.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has recommended stiff sanctions against 11 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and several candidates found culpable of biometric irregularities during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration exercise.
The decision was disclosed on Tuesday by the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during a high-level consultative meeting with stakeholders in Abuja.
His remarks were delivered by JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
The crackdown follows widespread complaints and technical glitches that affected the biometric registration of approximately 380,000 UTME candidates in Lagos and five southeastern states earlier this year.
Mis-captures and system errors during fingerprint enrolment led to invalid or missing biometric data, sparking public outrage and a formal apology from the JAMB Registrar in May.
In a bid to restore public confidence and maintain the integrity of its examination processes, Prof. Oloyede outlined tough punitive measures for those involved in the irregularities.
The leadership of JAMB, in consultation with key stakeholders, recommends that any individual who has registered more than 50 candidates with biometric infractions should be disqualified from participating in any JAMB-related activity.
The proposed sanctions include a three-year ban from all JAMB activities for offenders, barring them not only from acting as CBT agents but also from sitting for the UTME or any sister examination conducted by WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB.
Prof. Oloyede emphasised that the proposed measures are subject to final approval by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa.
“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,” Oloyede said.
He cautioned the CBT centres, stating that those found complicit in fraudulent activities would be required to sign a bond and provide proof that their candidates had undergone proper training.
Expanding on the recommendations, Oloyede emphasised that the board would no longer tolerate any future violations from the affected centres, regardless of any claims of ignorance.
He further directed that the centres must undergo mandatory training at the nearest federal universities before they could be considered for re-engagement by JAMB.
“We will not allow any of these centres to do anything with us until they bring a certificate, a letter from a federal institution closest to that centre that their staff had been trained on ethical standards.
“But for the centres, those that the Federal Government owns, the reports will be made to the authorities that this is what your agency did,” Oloyede said.
Earlier, many of the affected candidates and some CBT centre operators admitted to participating in fingerprint manipulation during registration.
They claimed their actions were due to ignorance or pressure to register more candidates at their centres.
They pleaded for leniency during the meeting.
The CBT centres summoned for the meeting include; Misau Emirate ICT Centre in Misau, Bauchi State; Ijaw National Academy, Kiama, Bayelsa State; the Directorate of ICT, Nigerian Army University, Biu, Gombe State; Emerald IT Academy Limited, Benin City, Edo State; and Tigh Technologies at Sascon International School, Maitama, Abuja.
Others are; Jicoras CBT Centre in Babura, Jigawa State; Huntsville Technology Limited, Anthony, Lagos State; Jolas College CBT Centre, Obalende, Lagos State; Abdul Ocean Weath CBT Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State; the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) CBT Centre in Wase, Plateau State; and the Consulate Salle D’Examen CBT Centre, located by Jonny Lane/Navy Barrack, Agip Estate, Rivers State.