Amos Dangut, Head of the National Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has admitted that the exams conducted late at night in some parts of Nigeria fell below standard and were not credible.
Dangut made the admission on Monday while appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies. His appearance followed public outrage over the delayed English Language paper during the ongoing 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), which in some centres did not begin until late at night.
Last Wednesday, widespread disruptions at several examination centres caused students to wait for hours. In extreme cases, candidates reportedly sat for the exam using torch lights and phone flashlights due to a lack of electricity.
WAEC initially cited logistical issues stemming from the need to replace compromised exam papers following a leak as the reason for the delays.
During the committee hearing, Billy Osawaru, a member of the committee, questioned the credibility of the exams.
“Are you defining those exams as credible? Yes or no?” he asked.
Dangut initially defended the integrity of the exams, stating, “It was a credible exam.” But further questioning from lawmakers led to a reversal of that position. Eventually, Dangut conceded: “They were not credible. They were substandard.”
Lawmakers expressed outrage over the situation. Amobi Ogah, another committee member, called for Dangut’s resignation and questioned whether the incident was an act of sabotage.
“What has happened in your agency — and also in JAMB — deserves that both of you resign,” Ogah said. “People are laughing at us. A greater percentage of what happened affected the south-east the most. What have we done to deserve this?”
Osawaru also criticized WAEC’s handling of the situation: “Admit to the Nigerian people that you’ve failed. If you want to cry, cry now. After crying, tender your resignation.”
In his ruling, the committee chairman, Oboku Oforji, requested WAEC’s operational guidelines and a comprehensive report detailing the conduct of the 2025 SSCE, particularly in the affected regions.