Abuja, Sept. 2, 2025 — The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to fully transition the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) from paper-based testing to a computer-based test (CBT) model by 2026.
Head of WAEC’s National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, made the disclosure on Tuesday during a sensitisation session with members of the National Assembly Committee on Education in Abuja.
Dangut said the transition, which began with private candidates in 2024, had recorded “significant progress,” with trials proving both feasible and beneficial to candidates’ performance.
“We have conducted five exams already, one for private candidates and one for school candidates, and by 2026, deployment will be massive,” Dangut stated.
Overcoming Infrastructure Concerns
Addressing concerns about infrastructure and cybersecurity risks, Dangut stressed that WAEC had successfully conducted CBT exams even in remote communities without major disruptions. He added that early results indicated that students generally performed better in computer-based tests compared to traditional paper-based exams.
WAEC had first introduced CBT for private candidates in January 2024, abandoning the long-standing paper-and-pencil method. The plan now is to extend the system to all school candidates across West Africa by next year.
Government Support
The Federal Government has already announced that both private and public CBT centres nationwide will be used for WASSCE from 2026, mirroring the system adopted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, reiterated this policy in July 2025, stressing that the era of hosting WAEC and NECO exams exclusively in schools was coming to an end.
“WAEC and NECO exams are school-based exams being conducted at their schools. No, we will move away from that. It is going to be like the JAMB exams, conducted at CBT centres. We have thousands of such centres across the nation. Those are the centres we are going to use,” Alausa explained.
Looking Ahead
With the deadline less than a year away, WAEC is racing to ensure the necessary infrastructure, training, and sensitisation are in place to support the transition. Stakeholders say the move could modernise Nigeria’s examination system, improve efficiency, and curb malpractice, though concerns remain about equitable access for students in rural communities.