The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has reaffirmed its readiness to fully implement Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) by 2026.
Head of National Office, WAEC, Dr Amos Dangut, disclosed this during a sensitisation session on computer-based WASSCE for members of the National Assembly Committee on Education in Abuja on Tuesday.
Dangut explained that the rollout of CBT examinations had already commenced and assured that no candidate would be left behind in the transition. He stressed that the move to CB-WASSCE was driven by the need to safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s certificates and to align assessment practices with global standards.
He said WAEC would introduce mock sessions and online practice platforms to help candidates familiarise themselves with the system ahead of the main examinations.
Dangut recalled that WAEC conducted Nigeria’s first-ever CB-WASSCE in 2024 for private candidates in a hybrid format, combining paper-and-pen with computer-based responses. Building on that experience, he noted that the system was deployed for the 2025 WASSCE for school candidates, recording significant progress.
“The Federal Government has directed that we carry out our exams using the computer testing mode and, by the grace of God, we have started it. We are up to the task and there is no going back. We have done five exams now four for private candidates and one for school candidates. For 2026, we are going to deploy it massively, just like JAMB, with mock exams preparatory to the main exam,” he said.
Addressing concerns about infrastructure and connectivity, Dangut assured lawmakers and stakeholders that no student would be disadvantaged. “We are taking our sensitisation and demonstration to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. We have conducted exams even in hard-to-reach areas, so infrastructure will not stop this programme. All registered candidates will sit for their exams,” he added.
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On fears of cyber-attacks or system failures, he dismissed such concerns, stating that all CBT exams conducted so far had been smooth, with candidates’ performance empirically better than on paper-based tests.
The Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, Sen. Adamu Usman represented by Sen. Ekong Samson pledged the National Assembly’s full support for the initiative, noting that lawmakers would work to increase budgetary allocations to education ahead of the 2026 rollout.
Similarly, Rep. Oboku Oforji (Yenagoa/Opokuma, Bayelsa State) urged WAEC to establish at least one CBT centre in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas before the full implementation, adding that the National Assembly would invite the Minister of Education to provide further clarity while offering its full backing.
In his remarks, Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring access to quality education that meets global standards. He praised WAEC’s role over seven decades in advancing education in the region, adding that the shift to computer-based testing aligns with ongoing reforms, including curriculum restructuring, school infrastructure upgrades, and provision of modern learning tools.
“This historic step reflects our collective determination to strengthen student assessment and reposition education in Nigeria. With WAEC leading this transition, we are confident that the credibility and merit-based outcomes of our examinations will be further secured,” Alausa said.
