The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will go fully Computer-Based Testing (CBT) by 2026.
Head of National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja during a sensitisation meeting with the National Assembly Committee on Education.
According to him, the transition, which began with private candidates in 2024, has recorded “significant progress” and will be scaled up nationwide. “We have conducted five exams already, one for private candidates and one for school candidates, and by 2026, deployment will be massive,” he said.
Support for Students and Schools
Dr. Dangut explained that mock sessions and online practice platforms would be introduced to help students familiarise themselves with the new system. He assured stakeholders that “no candidate would be left behind.”
Addressing concerns over infrastructure and cyber risks, he noted that WAEC had successfully conducted CBT exams in remote areas without disruption. He further disclosed that candidates’ performances in CBT had been “empirically better” than in paper-based tests.
Lawmakers, Minister Back the Rollout
Members of the National Assembly pledged support for the plan. Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, Senator Ekong Samson, said parliament would work to increase budgetary allocation to education. Similarly, Rep. Oboku Oforji urged WAEC to establish at least one CBT centre in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas before the 2026 deadline.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, hailed the migration as a “historic step” that aligns with ongoing reforms in curriculum, infrastructure, and digital learning tools. “With WAEC leading this transition, we are confident that the credibility and merit-based outcomes of our examinations will be further secured,” he said.