As preparations intensify for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has declared that the use of Microsoft Camera is now mandatory for all Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres handling candidate registration.
This directive was reiterated during a monitoring visit by the Gombe State Coordinator of JAMB, Mr. Johnson Adebiyi, to El-Lawanti ICT Centre in Gombe on September 30, 2025.
The visit, according to him, was aimed at assessing the level of compliance with the Board’s new registration requirements ahead of the October 1 deadline for full adoption of the Microsoft Camera system.
Why the Directive Was Issued
JAMB’s latest move follows a detailed review of the 2025 UTME, which exposed troubling patterns of image blending and impersonation in some CBT centres.
The Board explained that the introduction of the Microsoft Camera system is part of its effort to strengthen identity verification and uphold the integrity of its registration process.
Adebiyi warned that the Board would not tolerate any breach of the directive, stating clearly that any defaulting centre risks being delisted from all JAMB registration activities.
He encouraged accredited CBT centres to “seize new opportunities available under the Board’s expanded services, including handling registration tasks previously restricted to JAMB’s Professional Registration and Testing Centres.”
Adebiyi further noted that CBT operators stand to benefit from partnerships with other examination bodies such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), both of which have adopted the CBT model for their assessments.
Alarming Findings from 2025 UTME Review
In August 2025, JAMB inaugurated a 23-member Special Committee on Examination Infractions to probe rising cases of technology-driven malpractice uncovered during the 2025 UTME.
The committee’s report revealed disturbing statistics:
- 4,251 cases of biometric manipulation known as finger blending.
- 190 cases of AI-assisted image morphing.
- 1,878 instances of false albinism declarations.
- Numerous incidents of credential forgery and multiple NIN registrations.
Responding to the findings, JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, clarified that while these infractions were rampant during the registration phase, actual malpractice during the UTME itself was relatively low, with only about 140 confirmed cases recorded nationwide.
Government Backs JAMB with Tougher Sanctions
In a decisive move, the Federal Government has approved a three-year ban for any candidate found guilty of examination malpractice across all national external examinations — including JAMB, WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB.
The enforcement will rely heavily on the National Identification Number (NIN) system, making it virtually impossible for offenders to evade sanctions or re-register under false identities.
Under the new policy, any CBT centre or school implicated in malpractice will be delisted or de-recognised, while sister examination bodies are expected to enforce parallel sanctions.
Restoring Trust in Nigeria’s Examination System
The mandatory adoption of the Microsoft Camera marks another bold step by JAMB to rebuild public trust in its processes.
For many candidates, it is a reminder that credibility must triumph over convenience; and for CBT centres, a call to protect their integrity at all costs.
As Nigeria’s foremost examination body tightens its systems, one message rings clear: the era of digital impersonation is drawing to a close.