The Federal Government has announced a sweeping set of reforms aimed at eliminating examination malpractice in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations beginning from 2026.
The new measures were unveiled by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmed, as part of broader efforts to strengthen the credibility, transparency and public confidence in Nigeria’s examination system.
According to the ministers, the Federal Ministry of Education is intensifying oversight and deploying targeted strategies to safeguard the integrity of national examinations.
A major component of the reform is the introduction of enhanced question randomisation and serialisation. Although all candidates will answer the same questions, the sequence and arrangement will differ for each candidate, ensuring that every student sits a unique version of the examination and significantly reducing opportunities for collusion.
The ministry also reaffirmed its strict prohibition of candidate transfers at the Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) level. The policy, already conveyed through an official circular, will now be rigorously enforced to curb last-minute school changes often linked to examination malpractice.
To further promote transparency, new national guidelines on Continuous Assessment (CA) have been developed for immediate implementation. All examination bodies, including WAEC, NECO and NBAIS, are required to adhere strictly to standardized submission deadlines: January for First Term CA, April for Second Term CA, and August for Third Term CA. The ministry said the timelines are mandatory and designed to ensure consistency, data integrity and timely processing nationwide.
In addition, the Federal Government is introducing a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number for all candidates. The identifier will allow effective tracking of learners throughout the examination process, strengthen monitoring and accountability, and support long-term reforms in assessment, certification and data management.
The ministers assured stakeholders that examination administration will be carried out under strengthened supervision and closer coordination with examination bodies to ensure full compliance with guidelines and ethical standards.
They emphasized that the reforms reflect the Federal Government’s resolve to deliver examinations that are credible, fair and aligned with global best practices, while addressing Nigeria’s unique educational challenges.
The Ministry of Education also pledged continued collaboration with examination bodies, state governments, school administrators, parents and candidates to ensure the successful implementation of the measures and the smooth conduct of the 2026 examinations nationwide.