The Nigerian government has announced a move to implement CBT-based WASSCE by 2026.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this known during a press conference on Tuesday.
Alausa described the migration to CBT-based WASSCE as a “historic step” that aligns 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.
Also, during the press briefing, Dr. Amos Dangut, WAEC’s Head of National Office, stated that the development is part of the examination body to enhance exam security, streamline processes, and align with global testing standards.
Dangut also explained that WAEC had conducted successful trials, including a hybrid model for private candidates in 2024 and a pilot for school candidates in 2025.
He said that these tests demonstrated reduced malpractice and faster result processing, with Dangut noting a 20% improvement in exam integrity metrics compared to paper-based exams.
“We have conducted five exams already, one for private candidates and one for school candidates, and by 2026, deployment will be massive,” he said.
Addressing concerns about infrastructure and cyber risks, Dangut noted that WAEC had successfully conducted exams in remote areas without disruption. He further disclosed that candidates’ performances in CBT had been “empirically better” than in paper-based tests.
