The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has confirmed that some candidates who took part in its 2025/2026 Post-UTME screening exercise will not be considered for admission after being flagged for examination malpractice.
The computer-based test, which was held online from September 1 to 4, 2025, had over 20,000 candidates in attendance. UNILAG management said that while the exercise was largely successful, several candidates were caught cheating and will be disqualified.
In a notice issued after the exam, the university reiterated its zero tolerance for malpractice, adding that it has verifiable evidence against those involved. Officials also advised applicants to rely only on official communication from the school to avoid being misled by rumors
Candidates Complain of Wrongful Flagging
Soon after the announcement, several candidates took to social media to complain that they had been wrongly accused. They alleged that the university’s AI monitoring system mistakenly flagged them for malpractice during the online test.
One candidate who scored 350 in JAMB said she was shocked to receive an email disqualifying her from admission. Another candidate, Loveth, said the message left her in panic. “I got the email last night and almost fainted. It felt like my dreams were about to be crushed,” she said.
Many students believe network glitches, background noise, or poor lighting may have triggered the system, leading to false accusations. They also faulted the wording of the emails, saying the school should have first reviewed the cases before declaring them ineligible.
University Promises Fair Review
A UNILAG official, who did not want to be named, explained that the flagged cases are still under review and that final decisions have not been made. According to him, human examiners will go through the video recordings before confirming any case of malpractice.
“If a student is innocent, their result will be cleared and processed. Only those clearly found guilty will be affected,” the official said.
Parents and students are, however, demanding more transparency, with calls for the university to make the evidence available to affected candidates.
Concerns Over Digital Examinations
The controversy has again raised questions about the reliability of online examinations in Nigeria. While digital tools are seen as a way to curb cheating, many believe poor infrastructure and unstable internet connections make the system prone to errors that could unfairly punish candidates.
For now, thousands of applicants are waiting anxiously as the university reviews the flagged cases, hoping their admission chances are not lost to technical errors.
