Information technology and cybersecurity expert Rasheed Afolabi has joined education and technology stakeholders to proffer solutions to the cyber glitch that affected the 2025 results of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Recall that, in light of these parallel incidents, Nigerian education stakeholders described the glitch as an “unfortunate” and unprecedented crisis capable of undermining the integrity of national examination assessment standards and eroding the confidence and public trust Nigerians have in external examination bodies.

Afolabi, on Wednesday, through a communique to the press, stated that JAMB and WAEC glitches are not isolated incidents but are symptomatic of an under-invested and insufficiently audited digital ecosystem that demands innovative intervention from examination bodies, governments, and policymakers.

“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,” he said.

The cybersecurity expert further said that the “ghosts” in the JAMB and WAEC machines — that swept over 1.5 million candidates into a national debacle, not to mention the direct human effects — were no mere software bugs; that they are systemic vulnerabilities that demand immediate and decisive action.

He added that while the individual issues may seem minor, a slow portal and frozen biometric capture can immeasurably impact the education system by questioning the integrity of the examination process and compromising the sanctity of a student’s hard-earned score.

“To understand the full scope of the debacle, we must examine how the nature of the crisis differed between the two bodies, even as the human cost remained tragically consistent.

“JAMB, with its fully computer-based test (CBT) model, faced a unique set of challenges, such as server overloads and biometric hardware failures that forced thousands to re-sit their exams.

“WAEC, on the other hand, grappled with issues centred on its online result portal, leading to a high number of inconsistent grades and data access problems,” he recalled.

In light of this, Afolabi added that the potential for large-scale data exposure from insecure portals poses an even graver threat, turning a technical problem into a national data privacy concern.

According to him, the solution is not to retreat from technology but to confront its vulnerabilities head-on, adding that the crisis serves as a wake-up call for both examination bodies and policymakers.

“A path forward must include significant investment in robust, scalable infrastructure, mandatory independent cybersecurity audits, and continuous training for technical personnel. 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,” he said.