WAEC to fully implement Computer-Based WASSCE by 2026

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed that the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will be fully conducted through Computer-Based Testing (CBT) by 2026.

Head of WAEC’s National Office, Dr Amos Dangut, gave the assurance on Tuesday during a sensitisation session with the National Assembly Committee on Education in Abuja.

The council began testing the new examination format with private candidates in 2024 and has since reported steady progress. Dr Dangut said the transition will cover all candidates nationwide by 2026.

“We have conducted five examinations already, one for private candidates and one for school candidates, and by 2026, deployment will be massive,” he stated.

He added that candidates will receive robust support through mock exercises and online practice platforms, assuring that “no candidate would be left behind” during the transition.

Responding to concerns over technical capacity and cybersecurity, Dr Dangut explained that WAEC had successfully conducted examinations in remote areas without incident. He also disclosed that performance data showed candidates had done “empirically better” under the CBT format compared to paper-based examinations.

Lawmakers pledged their support for the initiative. Senator Ekong Samson, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, promised parliamentary backing to boost education funding. Representative Oboku Oforji called on WAEC to ensure every local government area in Nigeria has at least one CBT centre before the 2026 rollout.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the migration as a “historic step” that aligns with broader reforms in curriculum, infrastructure, and digital learning.

“With WAEC leading this transition, we are confident that the credibility and merit-driven outcomes of our examinations will be further strengthened,” Dr Alausa said.