The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is once again under scrutiny in 2025, but for many familiar with the intricacies of Nigeria’s examination system, this isn’t uncharted territory. The echoes of the 2023 JAMB scandal reverberate, and at the heart of uncovering that initial crisis was a persistent tech professional: Alex Onyia.

 

In 2023, a wave of mass failures swept through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), particularly impacting candidates from the Southeast and, as later revealed, Lagos state. While many might have shrugged this off as a challenging exam, Alex Onyia, CEO of the education technology firm Educare, detected an unsettling pattern. His professional intuition kicked in, prompting him to initiate a discreet yet thorough investigation.

Onyia’s investigation quickly pointed to something far more systemic than isolated incidents. He uncovered a troubling pattern that disproportionately affected candidates from the Southeast, raising serious questions about the fairness and integrity of the examination process.

Taste the Goodness: EL Blends All-Natural Cold-Pressed Juices

 

Driven by a commitment to justice, Alex Onyia took a courageous step: he pursued legal action, utilizing the Freedom of Information Act to compel JAMB to open its systems for independent scrutiny and release crucial data. This bold move, combined with the significant advocacy of other concerned Nigerians like Chief Osita Chidoka, a former Minister of Aviation and respected figure in the education sector, mounted immense pressure on JAMB.

Chief Chidoka, who had previously voiced concerns about exam integrity, including during the Mmesoma Ejikeme controversy, became a crucial ally in the call for accountability.

 

The collective efforts ultimately forced JAMB’s hand. In a pivotal moment, JAMB invited Alex Onyia and his technical team, alongside other relevant stakeholders, to conduct an in-depth review of its examination systems.
The findings from this exhaustive investigation were eye-opening and confirmed Onyia’s initial suspicions. The widespread failures among students from the Southeast and Lagos were not attributable to technical glitches or system malfunctions. Instead, the root cause was identified as human error on the part of JAMB.

 

Specifically, the technical review pinpointed a critical oversight: an uneven deployment of a vital server patch. While these essential software upgrades were correctly applied to servers in one cluster (like Kaduna), they were shockingly not deployed to the “Lagos (LAG) cluster,” which serves both Lagos and the entire Southeast region. This disparity meant that approximately 92 centers in the Southeast and 65 centers in Lagos – a total of 157 centers – were operating with outdated server logic. This fundamental flaw led to widespread mismatches in how candidate answers were interpreted and validated. The scope of this error was staggering, affecting an estimated 379,997 candidates.

 

Alex Onyia publicly disclosed these findings on his Twitter (now X) handle, effectively shifting the narrative from vague “glitches” to a clear issue of negligence and systemic human error within the examination body. This revelation was a turning point, prompting JAMB to admit its errors.

 

In a rare display of humility and regret, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of JAMB, even reportedly broke down in tears while addressing the issues, acknowledging the systemic failures.
The consequence of this exposure was a significant step towards remediation: JAMB announced a resit exam for all 379,997 affected candidates in Lagos and the South-East states.

 

Alex Onyia’s unwavering dedication, his professional and discreet investigation, and his courage to challenge a powerful national institution proved indispensable in uncovering the truth. His actions ensured that thousands of Nigerian students, whose academic futures were jeopardized, were given a second chance. His work serves as a powerful reminder of the continuous need for transparency, accountability, and robust systems within Nigeria’s critical education sector.