WAEC to Go Fully CBT by 2026 — FG Reaffirms Commitment to Digital Exam Transition

The federal government’s pledge to completely switch to computer-based test (CBT) exams for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and other exam bodies by 2026 has been repeated by Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa.

While overseeing the administration of WAEC’s CBT exams in Abuja on Wednesday, Dr. Alausa made this announcement.

He was upbeat about Nigeria’s ability to use digital innovation to modernize its testing system and curb widespread misconduct.

The minister praised WAEC’s initiative and called the move from traditional pen-and-paper exams to CBT a historic and important step toward educational integrity and justice.

He declared, “WAEC is leading the charge to eradicate fraud from our exam system, and we are working very hard to do so.”

Alausa emphasized the benefits of CBT, pointing out that it made exams easier to complete and greatly reduced cheating.

He said, “We now have unmistakable proof that the amount of fraud is reduced to nearly zero when exams are administered using technology.”

He also praised WAEC’s internal security measures, stating that the CBT system was “literally impossible” to attack because it was run over a protected Local Area Network (LAN).

The minister stated that by November 2025, CBT will be used for all WAEC multiple-choice tests.

By 2026, he said, NECO exams and essay questions would follow likewise.

Alausa acknowledged the difficulties with infrastructure and logistics, especially in rural areas, but promised that scalable solutions are being developed.

By November, will we be able to supply all of the infrastructure that is required? Not at all.

However, we shall be prepared as we proceed into the future. As a government, we must challenge ourselves,” he stated.

He also talked about the practicalities of administering several tests.

The typical student in WAEC takes eight to nine papers.

They spread it out over a few days. As administrators, we have to deal with such logistics, and we already do,” he said.