WAEC blames exam delays on car crash, logistical delays

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has attributed delays in the conduct of some papers in the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to security hurdles, logistical bottlenecks, and a fatal road crash that claimed the lives of three of its personnel.

The council disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by its Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, following widespread complaints over the late commencement of several papers across the country.

According to WAEC, the three officials died on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in a motor accident along the Gombe–Yola highway while transporting sensitive examination materials across state lines.

The tragedy disrupted the pre-arranged distribution schedule, leading to significant delays at the affected centers.

The council explained that the sudden loss of its staff, coupled with prevailing security challenges, severely hampered the timely delivery of examination materials.

Last week, candidates at several centers across Oyo, Lagos, and Osun states were forced to write their mathematics and agricultural science papers late into the evening due to the distribution hitch.

In some schools, candidates reportedly relied on mobile phone flashlights, torches, and solar-powered lamps to complete their tests, while others moved outside classrooms at dusk to utilize the remaining daylight.

Preliminary findings by the council also revealed that the disruptions stemmed from late candidate registrations and delayed final arrangements, both of which slowed down the timely printing and production of the test materials.

WAEC noted that security concerns, including local protests linked to the recent abduction of schoolchildren in certain regions, restricted the safe movement of distribution vehicles.

The council stated that despite mourning their fallen colleagues, emergency contingency measures were swiftly deployed by its team to ensure the examinations still took place in the affected zones.

Management has now put measures in place to prevent a recurrence during the remaining papers, noting that the hitch-free conduct of examinations on Friday, June 5, shows that the distribution challenges have largely been resolved.

The statement assured the public that all necessary modalities are now active to guarantee a smooth run for the rest of the diet.

The 2026 May/June WASSCE for school candidates began on April 21 and is scheduled to conclude on June 19.