Table of Contents

WAEC & NECO to Go Fully CBT by 2026 — Mixed Reactions Trail Bold Move!

Nigeria’s education sector is reacting to the federal government’s instruction to switch the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to fully computer-based testing (CBT) by 2026.

Critics contend that the nation’s schools, especially those in rural areas, are not prepared for the sudden shift, even though some view the move as a step towards digital growth.

According to the plan presented by Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, all objective questions will be given using CBT beginning in November 2025.

By May/June 2026, all WAEC and NECO exams—including theory and essay papers—will be administered exclusively online.

The minister claims that the objective is to stop test fraud and bring Nigeria’s educational evaluation system into compliance with global digital norms.

However, there is now a lot of worry regarding the move’s viability, infrastructure deficiencies, digital literacy, and schools’ overall preparedness.

A specialist in education cautions, “We are hurrying into failure.”

Speaking to Nairametrics, Dr. Felix Echekoba, a senior lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), characterized the decision as hurried and out of touch with the realities in Nigeria.

“We’re moving too quickly. No adequate preparation was carried out before implementation, which is precisely how the 6-3-3-4 educational system fell apart, he claimed.

He went on to use the recent reduction in Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) cut-off scores as evidence to connect the strategy to a wider decline in educational attainment.

The JAMB cut-off score was 200 and higher years ago. Even though we’re talking about 190 today—and often even lower—many students still find it difficult to satisfy the requirement. You should be able to infer something about the condition of our education from that alone. Do you now wish to implement CBT universally without addressing the underlying issue?

He voiced concerns that if the government does not provide a strong basis before deployment, the CBT project may suffer the same fate.

Without computers or power, how will CBT function?

Dr. Echekoba called attention to the fact that many public schools lack basic infrastructure. Given that the majority of schools lack reliable energy, internet connection, and operational computer laboratories, he questioned the feasibility of administering computer-based tests.

The majority of Nigerian public schools lack computers, internet, energy, and ICT-trained personnel. Power, internet, and computer literacy are necessary for CBT. Particularly outside of urban areas, these are still considered a luxury in many schools, he said.

Dr. Echekoba claims that some private schools have started requiring parents to purchase laptops for their kids in an effort to get ready for the digital revolution.

He chastised the administration for putting the onus on schools and parents before constructing national infrastructure.

In an interview with Nairametrics, Mr. Fidelis Okoro (not his real name), the principal of a government secondary school in Ebonyi State, expressed a more cautious but hopeful perspective.

He asserted that if CBT were applied only to objective issues, it might be successful.

Complete implementation might not be achievable. The subjects are extensive. How would they handle specimens, diagrams, practicals, and other visual components? He pointed out that not all subjects could be appropriately assessed with computer-based formats alone.

The principal cautioned against putting the onus on parents, pointing out that state governments may take over and supply computers for schools.

In rural areas, some parents don’t even have Android phones. “How can they afford desktop computers or laptops for their kids?” he inquired. “Directing every parent to bring a computer system isn’t realistic,” he added.

Mr. Okoro pointed out that many secondary schools in Nigeria have fewer than 300 students, making a phased or school-based CBT setup possible.

Additionally, he pointed out that training capacity is not the main issue because many public secondary schools already have computer teachers on staff. Rather, accessibility and infrastructure continue to be the key obstacles.

Timing and security provide new difficulties.

Given that students must leave their homes as early as 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. to take CBT tests at centralized centers, Dr. Echekoba expressed worries about the hazards to their safety.

He brought up the recently finished 2025 UTME, in which, despite Nigeria’s escalating insecurity issues, applicants were supposed to arrive at centers by 6:30 a.m.

Echekoba said, “In today’s security environment, you can’t ask children to leave their homes by 6:30 a.m. just to sit for an exam.”

Additionally, he described the problems of current UTME CBT centers, which face delays and technological difficulties throughout the tests.

Mr. Okoro offered a scalable solution to the logistical and security problems: the government should set up CBT centers in each local government area to lower travel risks.
“The government must lower travel dangers by increasing access if it insists on using CBT centers. There should be at least 10 CBT centers with more than 500 computers in each local government district. In this manner, several institutions can administer tests at the same time without crowds or lengthy commutes,” he said.

“CBT centers are unable to manage the volume of WAEC.” — Principal of the school.

Mr. Sunday Akintunde (not his real name), the principal of a Lagos State secondary school, voiced his concerns regarding the implementation.

He pointed out that the number of WAEC or NECO applicants is too great for the current CBT centers, which were built mainly for JAMB.

WAEC is not limited to urban schools. This test is also taken by students in remote schools without access to computers or electricity. “CBT centers in Nigeria are just not designed to accommodate that many people at once,” he stated.

He clarified that WAEC exams are administered concurrently across the country, whereas JAMB’s methodology permits staggered scheduling over several days.

Every SS3 student is required to take the WAEC and NECO achievement tests. JAMB is unique in that it is completed in batches, and not all students write it. Therefore, the amount of preparation and coordination needed to administer the tests or scale cannot be compared,” Akintunde stated.

Will misconduct be eradicated by CBT?

Echekoba and Akintunde both disagree with the Ministry of Education’s view that CBT is a remedy to rampant exam misconduct.

Because students can still cheat using browsers, Mr. Akintunde cautioned that computer-based testing (CBT) does not completely eradicate exam malpractice.

“CBT is not impervious to dishonesty. During tests, students can still get outside assistance. During CBT sessions, we’ve observed instances where they utilize their phones, switch tabs, or open browsers,” he said.

He pointed out that altering the exam structure alone is not enough to stop misconduct. “Yes, technology can be helpful, but cheating will continue if there is no accountability, supervision, or discipline.”

Dr. Echekoba went one step further and said that CBT can make misconduct worse.

Students can get in touch with “machinery,” or people who have been paid to write their examinations. These individuals may even find it simpler to take advantage of weaknesses in online systems. We have witnessed it occur,” he remarked.

The experts urged a more inclusive and customized implementation approach that takes into account Nigeria’s heterogeneous socioeconomic conditions, school sizes, and levels of digital preparedness.