Nigeria’s minister of education, Tunji Alausa
Nigeria’s education minister, Tunji Alausa, announced on September 3, the official transition of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to a fully Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format by 2026.
The announcement, made during a high-profile event in Abuja, is a significant step under the current government’s plans to enhance the integrity of examinations and align Nigeria’s assessment system with global standards.
Alausa, speaking at the event, described the reform as a “historic milestone in our education sector.” He emphasised its potential to “strengthen the integrity of our examinations, drastically reduce malpractice, and ensure Nigeria’s assessment system meets global standards.”
The shift builds on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC)’s 73-year legacy, which has introduced innovations such as the Digital Examiners’ Mark Sheet, WAEC Konnect, e-Learning platform, and Digital Certificate Platform, showcasing a commitment to technological progress.
The adoption of CBT is a deliberate strategy to safeguard the credibility of Nigerian certificates and equip students with digital skills for a knowledge-driven economy. “The adoption of computer-based examinations is a deliberate step to safeguard the credibility of our certificates and empower the Nigerian child with the skills needed for a knowledge-driven economy,” Alausa stated.
He assured stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Education would collaborate with schools to ensure a smooth transition, promising, “The Ministry will work closely with schools to ensure our learners are adequately prepared for this transition. Together, we will make this a smooth, successful, and transformative step forward.”
However, the announcement has stirred conflicting reactions. While some say the move will curb exam malpractice, a persistent challenge highlighted by WAEC’s 2025 report, which withheld results for 9.75% of candidates due to irregularities.
The report, presented by WAEC Head in Nigeria, Amos Dangut, stated that results for 8,913 out of 91,478 candidates (approximately 9.75%) were withheld, pending further investigation into malpractice allegations. This includes cases of collusion, impersonation, and unauthorised materials, detected through enhanced surveillance and post-exam audits. others raise concerns about infrastructure gaps.
The pilot CBT program for private candidates in 2024, which saw a 33.8% performance drop compared to traditional methods, further underscores potential challenges in scaling the initiative to over 1.5 million students annually. Critics have questioned WAEC’s preparedness for this transition, just as some have raised concerns about students’ digital literacy, with some suggesting that “copy-pasting policies without proper research and analysis” could disadvantage those unfamiliar with computers.
Despite these hurdles, Alausa remains optimistic. The Ministry plans to address infrastructure deficits and provide training, though details on funding and timelines remain scarce. Some education sector commentators say the CBT initiative will depend on bridging the urban-rural divide and ensuring technical readiness, especially after a recent 2025 WAEC result glitch affected 22.94% of candidates due to technical issues.
