- Appeals Against Election Clashes, Insecurity Threats
By Theresa Moses
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has assured candidates, parents, and stakeholders of a smooth, credible, and technologically enhanced conduct of the ongoing Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for School Candidates, 2026.
The assurance was given by the Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut, during a press briefing held on Monday 11th May, 2026 at the Council’s National Office in Yaba, Lagos.
Dr. Dangut disclosed that the examination commenced on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, with practical papers and will end on Friday, June 19, 2026, spanning eight weeks and three days.
According to him, the growing acceptance of the computer-based examination format follows the successful implementation of the maiden edition in 2025, as more schools now embrace the innovation due to its seamless process and alignment with global best practices.
He explained that the initiative also aligns with the recommendation of the Federal Ministry of Education aimed at modernizing examination administration in Nigeria.
Providing statistics on the examination, Dr. Dangut revealed that a total of 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools registered for the 2026 CB-WASSCE. Out of the figure, 958,564 candidates are male, representing 48.92 percent, while 1,001,072 candidates are female, representing 51.08 percent.
“This reflects an increase in female participation and a decline in male participation compared to last year,” he stated.
The candidates are expected to sit for 37 subjects comprising 97 papers, while about 29,000 senior secondary school teachers nominated by Ministries of Education across the country are participating as supervisors.
The WAEC boss further revealed that some offshore schools in neighbouring countries using the WAEC syllabus also opted for the Computer-Based WASSCE this year.
Speaking on innovations introduced by the Council, Dr. Dangut said WAEC has continued the serialization of examination papers to ensure that no two candidates have the same sequence of questions.
According to him, the innovation is part of measures aimed at strengthening the integrity of the examination system and reducing malpractice.
“The Council has continued the serialization of examination papers. This innovation ensures that no two candidates have the same question sequence, thereby upholding the academic and moral integrity of the National Policy on Education,” he said.
He also noted that the National Identification Number (NIN) has now been incorporated into the registration process in compliance with Federal Government directives.
On the issue of insecurity, Dr. Dangut acknowledged that conducting examinations in some parts of the country remains challenging due to prevailing security threats. However, he maintained that the Council has continued to collaborate with the Nigeria Police Force, military personnel, vigilante groups, and state governments to guarantee the safety of candidates, supervisors, staff, and examination materials.
“We always seek the support and collaboration of all security outfits to ensure the smooth conduct of examinations across the country,” he stated.
He appealed to governments and relevant authorities to avoid fixing elections or major activities during examination periods, stressing that such actions could disrupt the future of candidates.
“When planning activities aimed at improving the country, let us also remember that these children are writing examinations that determine their future. We appeal that election schedules and other activities should not interfere with examinations,” he said.
Dr. Dangut added that in some highly insecure locations, stakeholders and school authorities have been advised to relocate candidates to safer areas to enable them participate in the examination without fear.
The WAEC Head reiterated the Council’s zero-tolerance stance on examination malpractice, warning that erring candidates, supervisors, and schools would face sanctions approved by the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC).
He warned parents and guardians against patronizing rogue website operators who claim to provide leaked examination questions, stressing that such practices jeopardize the future of candidates.
“WAEC will not condone the activities of rogue website operators. In collaboration with the Police, we will track and prosecute offenders,” he warned.
Dr. Dangut also highlighted several digital innovations and support services introduced by the Council to improve educational delivery and examination management. These include the WAEC Digital Certificate platform, WAEC Verify, WAEC Chatbot, Centre Locator, WAEC Konnect, WAEC E-Study Portal, WAEC E-Learning Portal, and the Digital Examiners Marks System.
He announced that results for the 2026 CB-WASSCE would be released within 45 days after the last paper, while certificates would be printed and issued to schools within 90 days. Digital copies of certificates would also be accessible online.
Responding to questions from journalists regarding technical glitches experienced during previous examination result processing exercises, Dr. Dangut assured stakeholders that adequate corrective measures have been implemented to prevent a recurrence.
“We are perfecting everything, and I speak authoritatively that we will not have a repeat of such glitches in the processing and release of results. Last year was the first time we embarked on such innovation, but now several corrective measures have been put in place,” he assured.
He also called for increased public sensitization and media collaboration to combat misinformation and examination malpractice, stressing that WAEC remains committed to delivering credible examinations despite prevailing national challenges.
He expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Education, State Ministries of Education, security agencies, schools, supervisors, and the media for their continued support towards ensuring a successful and credible 2026 CB-WASSCE.
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