The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed that the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will be fully conducted using Computer-Based Testing (CBT) by 2026.
Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of National Office, made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja during a sensitisation meeting with the National Assembly Committee on Education.
He explained that the transition, which began with private candidates in 2024, has shown significant progress and will soon be expanded nationwide.
To help students adapt, WAEC will roll out mock sessions and online practice platforms, ensuring that no candidate is left behind.
“We have conducted five exams already, one for private candidates and one for school candidates, and by 2026, deployment will be massive,” Dangut said.
Addressing concerns over infrastructure and cybersecurity, Dangut noted that WAEC had successfully conducted exams in remote areas without disruption.
He added that students’ performance in CBT had been empirically better than in paper-based examinations.
Lawmakers pledged support for the rollout. Senator Ekong Samson, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, promised that parliament would increase budgetary allocations to education.
Similarly, Rep. Oboku Oforji called on WAEC to establish at least one CBT centre in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas ahead of the 2026 deadline.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the transition as a historic step aligned 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,” Alausa said.
