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 from 2026 and beyond.
The 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 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 highlight of the reforms is the introduction of enhanced question randomisation and serialisation. While candidates will answer the same examination questions, the sequence and arrangement will differ for each student, ensuring that every candidate sits a unique version of the exam 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 directive, already communicated through an official circular, will now be rigorously enforced to curb last-minute school changes often linked to examination malpractice.
To improve transparency and standardisation, the ministry has developed new national Continuous Assessment (CA) guidelines for immediate implementation. Under the policy, all examination bodies — including WAEC, NECO and the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) — must comply with uniform submission deadlines: January for first-term CA, April for second-term CA and August for third-term CA. The timelines are mandatory and designed to ensure consistency, data integrity and timely processing nationwide.
In addition, the Federal Government will introduce a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number for all candidates. The identifier is expected to enhance tracking, monitoring and accountability throughout the examination process, while supporting long-term reforms in assessment, certification and data management.
The ministers further assured stakeholders that examination administration will be carried out under strengthened supervision and closer coordination with relevant examination bodies to ensure full compliance with established guidelines and ethical standards.
They stressed that the reforms reflect the government’s commitment to conducting credible and fair examinations aligned with global best practices, while addressing Nigeria’s specific educational challenges.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its readiness to work with examination bodies, state governments, school administrators, parents and candidates to ensure the smooth and successful conduct of the 2026 examinations across the country.