Exam Fraud in Nigeria: Battling Cheating Amidst Educational Challenges

Exam fraud has grown to be a pervasive problem in Nigeria, endangering integrity, education, and the advancement of the country. Fraudulent tactics are increasing, undercutting hard effort and merit, from compromised computer-based testing centers to cyber-enabled cheating networks.

This rising culture of dishonesty will weaken the country’s workforce, generate graduates who lack the necessary skills, and damage academic credibility if it is not stopped. In order to combat this threat and restore the integrity of Nigeria’s test system, educators, parents, and the government must work together and implement anti-cheating regulations strictly.

When compared to recent incidents that exposed the appalling conditions under which students are expected to demonstrate their academic integrity, the timing of the Federal Government’s announcement of a strict three-year examination ban for students caught cheating reveals a troubling irony.

Nevertheless, this policy represents a significant escalation in Nigeria’s fight against academic malpractice. Although the recent West African Senior School Certificate Examination disasters and the ongoing underfunding of education highlight fundamental infrastructure failures that make the government’s punitive approach appear disconnected from the realities facing Nigerian students, this policy, which was unveiled by Minister of Education Dr. Olatunji Alausa, demonstrates a commendable zero-tolerance approach that could potentially restore credibility to Nigeria’s examination system.

Although this technological advancement contrasts sharply with the basic infrastructure failures that recently forced students to write their exams in complete darkness, the integration of the National Identification Number system to track and enforce bans across all examination bodies demonstrates sophisticated policy coordination that has been lacking in previous anti-malpractice efforts. In a distressing video from the 2025 WASSCE, pupils were shown taking their English language paper at 9:42 p.m. at an examination center without electricity, using lanterns and cell phone flashlights for lighting.

Although NIN’s cross-referencing feature builds an extensive database that makes it nearly impossible for criminals to evade punishment, it is unfair to impose such strict measures when the testing environment itself impairs student performance without any fault of the student’s own.

The dismal picture of systematic failure presented by the recent WASSCE occurrences threatens the fundamental tenets of examination integrity standards. Numerous reports state that the English language test, which was supposed to start at 9:00 am on Wednesday, May 28, actually started at noon in numerous locations. Final assignments were not due until dusk in several places; students in Lagos were allegedly still writing at 11:45 p.m. while using torches. Students in portions of Benue State were forced to take their WASSCE in total darkness, using lanterns and phone torches to finish the objective portion of their English paper on Wednesday night, demonstrating that the crisis was not limited to isolated incidents.

After finishing the essay portion, students in Benue were left waiting for hours for the exam officer to bring the objective section. In some centers, the wait lasted until 8 or 9 p.m., which caused the exam to be completed as late as 11 p.m. Given that the system itself is unable to offer even the most basic facilities, such as electricity and appropriate scheduling, these conditions constitute a fundamental violation of fundamental examination criteria and raise major concerns about whether students can be held to the highest standards of academic honesty.

Although it is admirable that the government acknowledges that institutional complicity frequently facilitates individual malpractice, as demonstrated by the targeting of so-called “miracle centers,” the WASSCE darkness incidents show that institutional failure encompasses more than just willful misconduct; it also includes basic administrative incompetence and infrastructure neglect. A unified deterrent system is created by the directive to automatically de-recognize computer-based test centers across all examination bodies when one body detects malpractice; however, this same coordination seems lacking when addressing the basic logistical issues that compel students to take exams in unfeasible circumstances.

These institutional flaws are well ingrained, as evidenced by the larger context of Nigeria’s education finance. Although the 2025 education budget increased by a significant 96.6% from N1.79 trillion in 2024 to N3.52 trillion, this seeming boon conceals a more concerning truth regarding the nation’s dedication to educational advancement. Even with this significant rise, education spending still only makes up 7.3% of the national budget, far less than the 15% to 20% that UNESCO recommends be set aside for education. Nigeria’s education system has long suffered from chronic underfunding, with allocations rarely surpassing 10% of the overall budget. This has led to a foundation of infrastructure deterioration that cannot be addressed by any amount of punitive measures.

The JAMB Act and the Examination Malpractices Act of 1999, which were both passed to criminalize and punish different types of exam fraud, seem to provide a strong legal basis for the anti-malpractice measures.

It describes severe penalties for offenses like cheating, question paper theft, impersonation, and result forgery.

Exam cheating carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a N100,000 fine. Similar sanctions apply to candidates who are detected stealing or altering exam materials. It is illegal to write an exam on someone else’s behalf, and the Act penalizes the use of or production of phony certificates. Exam body workers, teachers, and invigilators who engage in malpractice risk a four-year prison sentence without the possibility of a fine.

The Act was created to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s educational system, but corruption and flaws in the testing procedure make it difficult to implement. The statute, however, appears to be silent on the government’s duty to offer favorable examination conditions commensurate with the vast financial resources that are ostensibly available.

Although the participation of security agencies, such as the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services, indicates a serious intention to pursue criminal prosecution in addition to administrative sanctions, there does not seem to be the same urgency to address the infrastructure deficiencies that jeopardize examination integrity from a completely different perspective, even though the budget allocation has been greatly increased, which should theoretically allow for such improvements.

Nigerian pupils were made to take exams in unsuitable and gloomy settings, a situation that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called a “national disgrace.” The public’s reaction to the WASSCE darkness episodes has been suitably indignant. This description encapsulates the core inconsistency in the government’s strategy, which, while having almost doubled the education budget, seems more concerned with punishing students for exam malpractice than with providing the essential conditions required for fair examination conduct.

Instead of taking preventative measures, the Federal Ministry of Education has responded reactively, calling similar instances “totally unacceptable” and promising to collaborate with WAEC and state governments to look into the situation and take corrective action only after there has been a significant public uproar. Students at Delta State’s Unity Secondary School were among those who had to write their WASSCE papers in dimly lit environments. Video evidence revealed that pupils were taking the test in a dimly lit classroom with only one torchlight for illumination. Simultaneous reports surfaced from many centers in Benue State as well as other places across the nation.

The persistence of such basic infrastructure failures in the face of a N3.52tn education budget raises serious questions about budget implementation, administrative efficiency, and priority allocation within the education sector. The dramatic budget increase should theoretically enable comprehensive infrastructure upgrades, including reliable power supply systems, generator backups, and improved examination facilities, yet the reality on the ground suggests that increased allocations alone cannot address systemic administrative and infrastructural challenges without corresponding improvements in implementation capacity and accountability mechanisms.

In light of this significant budget increase, serious thought should be given to the socioeconomic effects of both the punitive measures and the infrastructural failures. Young people are essentially removed from the formal education pathway during critical developmental years by a three-year prohibition, which may lead them to pursue alternate paths that are not in line with their long-term interests or the country’s objectives for the development of human capital. Similar to this, making students do exams in the dark while using flashlights on their phones gives those with better devices or longer battery life an unfair edge, so it brings a new kind of socioeconomic discrimination into the testing process.

Due to their frequent lack of access to dependable technology and high-quality preparation materials, students from underprivileged backgrounds may be disproportionately impacted by both the severe sanctions and the infrastructure malfunctions.

The government’s support of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda implies that the anti-malpractice policy and the more comprehensive educational reforms are both components of governance efforts meant to restore the integrity of public institutions. However, the contrast highlights a concerning discrepancy between budgetary rhetoric and actual implementation. The WASSCE incidents show that systemic failures can compromise merit just as effectively as intentional malpractice, regardless of budget allocations, even though the emphasis on credibility and merit reflects recognition that compromised examination systems undermine the entire educational enterprise and ultimately Nigeria’s competitive position in the global economy.

Theoretically, the significant budget increase to N3.52 trillion should allow for a thorough address of the inadequate facilities, overcrowding in classrooms, and poor infrastructure that have historically beset primary, secondary, and university schools throughout Nigeria.

However, the persistence of fundamental failures, such as power outages during important exams, indicates that budgetary allocation by itself is unable to address ingrained administrative and infrastructure issues without commensurate enhancements to oversight systems, accountability frameworks, and implementation mechanisms.

From an implementation standpoint, the ability of examination bodies to uphold fundamental principles of examination conduct while consistently and equitably identifying malpractice will be crucial to the effectiveness of anti-malpractice programs. Recent WASSCE instances indicate that the basic logistics of administering the test, which should be easily accomplished with the present budget allocation, must be addressed immediately before concentrating solely on identifying and penalizing malpractice. When the system itself does not provide basic requirements like sufficient lighting, appropriate scheduling, and conducive examination environments, it is impossible to expect students to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, especially when significant financial resources are theoretically available to address these issues.

The international aspect cannot be disregarded because Nigerian credentials are accepted throughout the world, and recent instances of students taking exams in the dark have drawn attention from around the world, harming Nigerian education’s reputation more severely than any malpractice scandal. Even though substantial financial resources have been set aside to address these very issues, fundamental failures in examination administration create equally serious credibility issues that undermine the nation’s overall human capital development objectives. This is true even though improvements in examination integrity could improve Nigerian education’s international reputation and have positive ripple effects for Nigerian students looking for opportunities abroad.

The WASSCE incidents indicate that accountability must start with the examination bodies themselves and extend to the efficient use of the significantly increased education budget. This is in contrast to the call for stakeholder involvement, including parents, teachers, and students, in reporting suspected malpractice. Prior to requesting that members of the public report malpractice, the government must show that it is committed to upholding fundamental exam standards that guarantee equity and respect for all applicants. More significantly, it must demonstrate that the significant budget increases are resulting in noticeable enhancements to the administration and infrastructure of the examination.

Although the West African Examinations Council’s subsequent apology for the exam mishaps recognizes the gravity of the situation, it is insufficient to reverse the psychological trauma and possible academic disadvantage that students who were made to take important exams in such appalling conditions endured. Given the significant financial resources that should be made available through the increased education budget to prevent such failures, the organization’s promise of investigation and reform must be evaluated against actual improvements in administrative and infrastructure capacity rather than just policy declarations.

Deep concern over the ongoing degradation of academic integrity and its threat to Nigeria’s human capital development is highlighted by the Ministry of Education’s reaffirmation of its zero-tolerance policy on examination malpractice, as stated by Mrs. Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press and Public Relations. Though significant budget increases should theoretically allow for comprehensive solutions to these systemic issues, this concern must be balanced with equal attention to how administrative incompetence and infrastructure failures also undermine academic integrity by creating unfair examination conditions.

A major policy commitment, the sharp rise in education financing from N1.79 trillion to N3.52 trillion, should allow for revolutionary advancements in administrative capability, testing facilities, and educational infrastructure. However, the continued occurrence of fundamental issues like power outages before exams indicates that the intricate network of capacity, administrative, and infrastructure issues plaguing Nigeria’s educational system cannot be resolved by cash allocation alone. Even significant improvements might not be enough to remedy decades of neglect and underinvestment, as seen by the persistent underfunding in comparison to UNESCO recommendations, with only 7.3% of the national budget going to education despite the rise.

The ultimate test will be whether this approach is balanced with an equal commitment to ensuring that examinations are conducted in a way that makes academic integrity both possible and meaningful, especially given the significant financial resources now theoretically available. The government’s strict stance on examination malpractice is necessary and reflects a genuine commitment to educational reform. Its credibility hinges on the government’s concurrent commitment to addressing the systemic failures that compromise examination integrity through poor administration rather than intentional cheating. The three-year ban is a bold policy experiment that has the potential to either change Nigeria’s examination culture or have unintended consequences that undermine its stated objectives.

To ensure immediate and sustained investment in examination infrastructure, a dependable power supply, generator backup systems, appropriate scheduling protocols, and administrative competence that guarantees students can demonstrate their knowledge under fair and dignified conditions, success will require not only strict enforcement of anti-malpractice measures but also efficient use of the increased budget allocation. In the end, the effectiveness of the policy will be evaluated not just by how it affects intentional malpractice but also by how it helps to improve educational quality and exam standards in a way that addresses both systemic flaws and purposeful misbehavior.

The WASSCE darkness events are a sobering reminder that, regardless of funding, institutional flaws that denigrate the entire educational assessment process, as well as student misconduct, jeopardize examination integrity. Nigeria’s examination system will keep failing the same pupils it purports to serve and safeguard unless both issues are resolved with equal urgency, skill, and efficient use of resources. Therefore, comprehensive reform that addresses administrative capacity, institutional accountability, infrastructure deficits, student discipline, and anti-malpractice enforcement must be part of the government’s call for national action to preserve merit and credibility in the education system. It should also include clear mechanisms to ensure that the significant budget increases result in noticeable improvements in exam administration and educational delivery.

A complex strategy that goes beyond straightforward budget increases to include a variety of funding options and enhanced resource management systems is needed to address these complex issues. Achieving sustainable improvement necessitates looking into alternate funding sources that can supplement government investment, even though the government’s pledge to increase budget allocation is a step in the right direction toward the 15-20% of the national budget that UNESCO recommends for education. Through collaborations with international organizations like UNICEF and the Global Partnership for Education, which already offer financial support to Nigeria’s education sector, it is possible to expand educational resources beyond the limitations of the national budget by integrating grants, subsidies, and debt financing options.

Through corporate investment in education infrastructure, technology grants, and scholarship programs, public-private partnerships present especially promising opportunities to close funding gaps and directly address the systemic flaws shown in recent exam disasters. The consistent, long-term funding required to upgrade exam facilities, maintain dependable power supply systems, and implement comprehensive administrative reforms that avoid the kind of fundamental failures that force students to take exams in the dark could be provided by promoting private sector engagement through educational foundations and targeted investment programs.

However, strengthening resource management and guaranteeing effective use of allotted funds through improved accountability procedures and decreased corruption may be the most important aspect in changing Nigeria’s educational system. The fact that basic infrastructural failures continue to occur in spite of significant budget increases indicates that poor management and ineffective resource distribution are more dangerous to the advancement of education than merely inadequate money. It may be possible to maximize the impact of current resources while developing the administrative ability required to efficiently use more financing from a variety of sources by putting in place strong supervision systems, open procurement procedures, and performance-based budget allocation.

Another essential element of sustainable education funding is community and philanthropic support, especially from wealthy individuals and local businesses who fund school improvement projects, scholarship programs, and educational foundations that can meet short-term infrastructure needs while fostering long-term community investment in high-quality education. In addition to offering innovative approaches to exam administration that could avoid the kinds of logistical errors that jeopardize academic integrity, the integration of educational technology offers affordable solutions for learning delivery, especially in underserved areas where traditional infrastructure development may be difficult.

The integration of these varied funding strategies with comprehensive policy reforms that tackle the systemic flaws that encourage academic dishonesty, as well as the punitive elements of exam fraud, is ultimately what will determine their success. The cycle of poor infrastructure, weakened testing conditions, and reactive punitive measures will keep undermining the very educational integrity the government is trying to preserve until Nigeria creates long-term, multi-source funding sources and efficient resource management systems.