The West African Examinations Council has expanded its Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination for school candidates, with nearly two million students registered for the 2026 examination across Nigeria.
Speaking Monday at a press briefing in Yaba, Lagos, Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, Amos Josiah Dangut, said the council recorded a significant increase in schools adopting the Computer-Based WASSCE, also known as CB-WASSCE, following the success of its pilot edition in 2025.
Dangut said 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools registered for the examination, which began on April 21 with practical’s and will end on June 19.
Of the total number of candidates, 958,564 are male, representing 48.92 percent, while 1,001,072 are female, representing 51.08 percent.
“This reflects an increase in female participation and a decline in male participation compared to last year,” Dangut said.
He said candidates would sit for 37 subjects comprising 97 papers, while about 29,000 senior secondary school teachers nominated by ministries of education nationwide are serving as supervisors.
According to him, the number of schools adopting the computer-based format rose from fewer than 40 nationwide in 2025 to about 450 schools in 2026.
“More schools have chosen the CB-WASSCE option due to its seamless nature, alignment with global best practices, and the success of last year’s edition,” he said.
Dangut added that some offshore schools in neighboring countries that use the WAEC syllabus also opted for the computer-based mode this year.
To curb examination malpractice, the council introduced additional security measures, including the serialization and randomization of question papers.
“We are going to randomize as well as serialize our papers to ensure that we compound the woes of perpetrators of examination malpractice,” he said.
He explained that the innovation ensures that no two candidates receive the same sequence of questions.
The WAEC official also confirmed that the National Identification Number has now been integrated into the registration process in compliance with federal government directives.
On insecurity in parts of the country, Dangut acknowledged that conducting examinations in volatile areas remains challenging but said WAEC was collaborating with security agencies and state governments to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the examinations.
“The council continues to partner with the Nigeria Police Force, all security outfits, and state governments to provide security for the smooth conduct of the examination,” he said.
He disclosed that in some high-risk areas, school owners and governments had been advised to relocate candidates to safer locations.
WAEC also warned schools, supervisors, and candidates against examination malpractice, stressing that stiff penalties await offenders.
“Schools engaging in mass cheating will be de-recognized, officials punished, and candidates sanctioned,” Dangut said.
He further cautioned parents against patronizing rogue websites promising leaked examination questions, saying the council would work with law enforcement agencies to track and prosecute offenders.
WAEC said results for the 2026 CB-WASSCE would be released 45 days after the last paper, while certificates would be printed and issued to schools within 90 days.
Dangut added that digital certificates would be available online within 24 hours after the release of results.
The council also highlighted several digital innovations, including the WAEC Digital Certificate platform, WAEC Verify, the Examination Malpractice Portal, the WAEC E-Study Portal, and a chatbot service designed to support candidates and institutions.
Appealing to governments and political stakeholders, Dangut urged authorities to avoid scheduling elections or other major activities that could disrupt examination timetables.
“The WAEC examination is international. The timetable has long been prepared,” he said. “When you want to schedule elections midway, let us consult and find a way that it will not interfere with the future of the candidates.”
