The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has confirmed that it is ready to fully switch to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) by the year 2026.
WAEC’s Head of National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, said this while speaking to members of the National Assembly Committee on Education during a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. The event was to raise awareness about the computer-based exams.
Dr. Dangut said that CBT exams have already started in stages, and he promised that no student would be left out in the change.
He explained that the decision to move to CBT was made to protect the value of Nigerian certificates and to keep up with global testing standards.
To help students prepare, WAEC will organize mock exams and online practice tests so they can get used to the computer-based system before the actual exams.
He mentioned that in 2024, WAEC successfully held Nigeria’s first computer-based WASSCE for private candidates, using both paper and computers (a hybrid format).
Following that success, WAEC used the system again for school candidates in 2025 and saw good progress.
He said, “The government has told us to start using computer-based exams, and by God’s grace, we have begun. We’re committed and won’t turn back. We’ve already held five exams—four for private candidates and one for school students—and we’ll expand this fully in 2026, just like JAMB does, with mock exams before the main ones.”
On concerns about internet and infrastructure problems, Dr. Dangut told lawmakers that no student would be left out, no matter where they live.
“We are spreading awareness and showing how it works across all parts of Nigeria. We’ve held exams even in very remote areas, so infrastructure won’t stop us. Every student who registers will take the exam,” he said.
On the risk of cyber-attacks or system crashes, Dr. Dangut said there’s no need to worry. He added that all CBT exams so far have gone well, and students have even performed better than on paper exams.
He explained that WAEC’s awareness campaign is meant to get more people to support the switch to computer-based testing.
Senator Adamu Usman, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, promised full support from the National Assembly for CBT exams. He was represented by Senator Ekong Samson.
He said the National Assembly would help WAEC by trying to increase the education budget before the full CBT rollout in 2026.
He added that using computers for WASSCE follows the government’s plan to bring more technology into national exams.
Representative Oboku Oforji from Bayelsa State asked WAEC to set up at least one CBT center in each of the 774 local government areas before 2026.
Oforji also said the National Assembly would call the Minister of Education to give more details on the plan and promised strong support for the project.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, confirmed that the government is fully committed to giving every Nigerian child quality education that meets international standards.
He praised WAEC for its work over the past 70 years in helping students and improving education across West Africa.
The Minister also talked about ongoing education reforms, including changes to the curriculum, better school buildings, and providing modern learning tools like smart boards.
He said that moving exams to computers fits the government’s goal to make education a key part of national growth, job creation, and wealth building.
“This important change shows our shared goal to improve how we assess students and upgrade education in Nigeria. With WAEC leading the way, we believe our exams will become even more trustworthy and based on merit,” Dr. Alausa said.
