In July 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced plans to transition both WAEC and NECO school candidates’ examinations (May/June) to a full Computer-Based Test (CBT) format by 2026. Stemming from the need to embrace technology and combat examination malpractices, the government is taking a new approach.
While revealing the plans, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, explained the need to shift the senior school certificate examinations (SSCE) from school premises to CBT centres.
“By next year, 2026, all the essays and objective exams will be CBT. NECO and WAEC will be joining the league of JAMB. We are making significant progress,” he said.
Notably, the federal government will be banking on a foundational phase of the partial CBT roll-out in both examinations.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) conducted a CBT for the first time in 2024, specifically for the WASSCE for Private Candidates, which was structured for the 2024-First Series exam that took place between January 31 and February 17. Moreover, the exam was a hybrid model, with objective questions administered on screen and essay/practical questions answered in booklets
In addition, WAEC introduced CBT as an option for both school and private candidates in 2025, with some candidates opting for the traditional paper-and-pencil format. For school candidates, the 2025 WASSCE marked the beginning of the transition to CBT, with candidates having the choice between the two formats.
For the National Examination Council (NECO), the recently concluded 2025 school candidates’ examination saw the pilot testing of the CBT mode, which was made an option for candidates.
Both WAEC and NECO will continue the hybrid CBT rollout for the private candidates’ examinations in November/December, with both set for full rollout in 2026. The transition is planned to be phased, with objective papers being administered via CBT by November 2025, and full migration (including essay components) expected by next year.
Also Read: How to check your 2025 WAEC result via SMS, App or website.
Paper-mode examination: the need for a transition
In detail, the federal government’s move to fully adopt CBT for both WAEC and NECO is to make it seamless and improve its integrity and efficiency. The move is also intended to modernise the examination system, align it with international best practices, and equip students with digital skills.
From the Nigerian government’s mindset: it’s 2025/2026, the world is racing alongside technology, and it’s time to embrace the new normal.
SS3 students don’t need to first encounter CBT exams in JAMB; they can get exposed to the process at an early stage. In addition, the shift to CBT aligns with the global trend of using technology in education and helps students develop essential digital skills.
Aside from embracing technology, the shift effectively combats examination malpractice, which has been rampant within both nationwide exams, amid the tagged ‘special centres’. CBT is seen as a way to minimise the current paper-based system’s susceptibility to various forms of cheating by providing a more secure and controlled environment.
Recall that the 2025 WAEC English language papers 1 and 2 leaked days before the scheduled examination day, forcing the body to reset the questions. This saw outrage, with the late distribution of papers nationwide, where an exam, scheduled for 2:00 p.m., did not start until around 6:00 p.m.
“We just have to work hard to get there. We cannot continue with this madness of exam practice, our exams being caught with cheating, leaked questions, both WAEC and NECO. If we allow this to continue, it will destroy the capacity of our youth, of our children,” the minister said.
CBT exams allow for more diverse and flexible assessment methods, potentially leading to an improved comprehensive evaluation of students’ knowledge and skills. The transition is also expected to create new jobs and unlock a new value chain in the education and ICT sectors, as it will require the establishment and maintenance of CBT centres.
Meanwhile, the need for such pivotal adoption calls for an unwavering commitment to delivering efficient and accessible examination services through the use of technological innovations.
WAEC and NECO CBT exams: how they will work
For the full rollout, the Federal government explained that examinations will be moved from school premises to CBT centres.
To accommodate the population of candidates, which is expected to be at an average of 1.9 million, thousands of CBT centres used by JAMB for its UTME will be adopted.
“Those are the centres that we are going to use. It’s not the case that students do not have the facilities. Schools do not have the facilities. We have enough people. We also have to expand the value chain of these CBT centres. They should not just be to serve JAMB alone,” Alausa said in July.
WAEC’s Head, Dr. Amos Dangut, during a press briefing this year, noted that the CBT offers digital monitoring, personalised question sets to curb malpractice, and faster result processing. In preparation and commitment to modernisation, the body launched an e-learning portal and past question resources before the commencement of the 2025 school candidate examinations.
An education expert and reporter, Folaranmi Ajayi, in a conversation with Technext, explained that the full deployment of the CBT mode in both WAEC and NECO is a welcome development, which should have been introduced a long time ago.
“Moving WAEC and NECO to full CBT by 2026 is a big shift — and honestly, it’s long overdue,” he said.
Also Read: JAMB UTME: House of Reps recommend 1 CBT centre in each of the 774 LGAs.
A big hurdle ahead
While the transition sounds interesting via the paper and media bulletin, the implementation will pose a big test.
Aside from the consideration of cost implications, questions and doubts still surround the ability to work around technical glitches and cybersecurity threats. JAMB, which has been running the CBT exam for over a decade, is still recording year-on-year complaints and struggling to perfectly handle the bulk of UTME’s administration.
Moreover, the Nigerian factor is another challenge. Infrastructural shortcomings, such as well-trained personnel, electricity and internet access disparities, are a great concern.
In Folaranmi Ajayi’s words, he questioned the ability and readiness of the CBT centres towards this new role.
“Let’s be real, it’s not just about uploading questions to a computer. Infrastructure is the real test. Many public schools still don’t have enough working computers or reliable electricity. And while using JAMB and government CBT centres sounds good on paper, demand will triple — and we’ve seen those centres struggle during JAMB season alone,”
Again, the usage of CBT centres used by JAMB is a prospective overstretching of infrastructures where their potential operation cannot be fully guaranteed.
Another consideration is that WAEC and NECO exams are a larger extension compared to UTME, with each candidate in the former expected to take 9 different papers on different days, compared to a day examination of the latter.
Can Nigerian CBT centres, with a welcome success rate, handle the combined pressure of accommodating the stack of UTME, WAEC and NECO?
While the transition is an excellent shift which will seek to introduce credibility and restore the image of Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), government and concerned agencies need to do more than talk.
“If the government wants this to work, they must act fast: upgrade facilities, train teachers, and expand access. Otherwise, we’re just setting students up for digital failure instead of digital progress,” Ajayi told Technext.
Learning points
The federal government is entering into a pivotal, yet delicate stage, where any form of error could mar the innovation.
Days ago, after it released its 2025 May/June examination results, WAEC revealed that it had made a discovery of technical issues during an internal review process. The body explained that the glitch arose after it introduced an innovation paper serialisation in its fight against examination malpractice.
Its post-result review revealed some technical bugs on the affected subjects, such as Mathematics, English Language, Biology, and Economics. The development was not even a real shock compared to the JAMB’s incident, which caused public outcry and debates for weeks.
Recall that the JAMB registrar recounted how a technical glitch experienced in the 2025 UTME occurred in 157 exam centres (65 in Lagos, 92 in the Owerri zone) due to improper application of a software patch by the service provider. This affected six states: Lagos, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Abia, and Ebonyi, where the candidates had to retake their UTME.
To build a wall against these forces, investing in a robust, redundant infrastructure is non-negotiable. This includes a stable electricity supply with backup options, secure and scalable exam software, and well-equipped accredited centres.
Moreover, a proactive risk management framework, with real-time technical support during exams, should also be built into the implementation plan. There’s also a need to invest in public sensitisation campaigns that train and create awareness among all stakeholders involved.
Also Read: JAMB 2025 UTME results crisis: Technical oversight exposed in Educare report.