Information technology and cybersecurity expert, Rasheed Afolabi, has joined voices with education and technology stakeholders to call for urgent reforms following the cyber glitches that marred the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The incidents, described by stakeholders as “unfortunate” and unprecedented, triggered widespread concern over the integrity of Nigeria’s external examination system and the confidence of millions of students and parents who rely on its credibility.
In a communique released on Wednesday, Afolabi warned that the problems encountered by JAMB and WAEC were not isolated technical mishaps but symptoms of a deeply underfunded and poorly audited digital ecosystem. He noted that while Nigeria’s transition to digital examination processes once promised efficiency and modernization, repeated failures have instead revealed structural weaknesses.
“The promise of a seamless, digital future for Nigeria’s public examinations, once a beacon of progress, has been overshadowed by a series of unsettling technical failures,” Afolabi said, stressing that the glitches represented more than software bugs but systemic vulnerabilities.
According to him, over 1.5 million candidates were caught in the national crisis, facing challenges that went beyond inconvenience to affect the sanctity of their hard-earned results. He pointed out that JAMB’s fully computer-based test (CBT) system was plagued by server overloads and biometric hardware failures, forcing thousands of candidates to re-sit their exams. WAEC, on the other hand, suffered portal breakdowns, inconsistent grades, and serious data access issues.
Afolabi further warned that the risks extended beyond disrupted exams, with insecure portals leaving room for large-scale data exposure and raising grave concerns about student privacy.
“The ghosts in the JAMB and WAEC machines demand immediate and decisive action. A slow portal or frozen biometric capture may appear minor, but in reality, they compromise the integrity of the process and undermine trust in our education system,” he said.
He advised that the solution is not to retreat from digitalisation but to strengthen its foundation through large-scale investments in resilient infrastructure, compulsory independent cybersecurity audits, and continuous training for technical personnel.
“This crisis is a wake-up call. By shining a light on the glitches and ghosts, we can begin the work of building a more secure and reliable digital future for Nigeria’s next generation,” Afolabi added.