Lagos — The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially flagged off the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, revealing a massive enrollment of nearly two million students across Nigeria. At a press briefing held at the Council's national office in Lagos on Monday, May 11, the examination body detailed significant shifts in candidate demographics, a cautious but growing embrace of digital testing, and the deployment of sophisticated new measures designed to eradicate classroom collusion.
According to Dr. Amos Dangut, the Head of National Office (HNO) for WAEC Nigeria, a total of 1,959,639 candidates from 24,207 secondary schools nationwide have registered for this year’s May/June diet. The figures represent a sprawling logistical operation that will see students tested in 37 subjects across 97 different papers over a period of eight weeks and three days. The examination, which technically commenced with practical sessions on Tuesday, April 21, is scheduled to conclude on Friday, June 19.
One of the most striking revelations from the registration data is the shift in gender representation among Nigerian students. Dr. Dangut disclosed that of the total registered candidates, 1,001,072 are female, representing 51.08% of the enrollment. In contrast, male candidates numbered 958,564, accounting for 48.92%.
The HNO noted that this year’s statistics indicate a clear trend: an increase in female participation alongside a marginal decline in male participation. Education analysts suggest this trend reflects the growing success of girl-child education advocacy across various regions of the country, though the slight dip in male enrollment may prompt further investigation into the socio-economic factors drawing young boys away from formal schooling in certain zones.
As the global educational landscape pivots toward digitalization, WAEC’s transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) remains a work in progress. For the 2026 school-based examination, approximately 450 schools—representing just 1.9% of the total—opted to sit for the exams in a digital format.
While the percentage remains small, it marks a significant leap from the 40 schools that participated in the CBT mode during the previous year. The vast majority of the 24,207 schools still prefer the traditional pen-and-paper mode, citing infrastructure challenges such as inconsistent power supply and a lack of adequate computer laboratories. However, Dr. Dangut expressed optimism that as the Council continues to refine its digital platforms, more schools will gain the confidence to migrate from the manual format.
In a bid to safeguard the integrity of the 2026 WASSCE, WAEC has introduced a sophisticated technical innovation to curb over-the-shoulder cheating and classroom collusion. Dr. Dangut explained that the Council has implemented a new sequencing system for question papers.
Under this new arrangement, no two candidates sitting adjacent to one another will have the same sequence of numbers on their question papers. This development ensures that even if candidates attempt to copy numerical answers or follow the structural flow of a neighbor's paper, the mismatched sequences will render such efforts futile. This innovation is part of a broader integrity-by-design strategy aimed at reducing the burden on invigilators and ensuring that results truly reflect the individual merit of each student.
The scale of the 2026 WASSCE requires a monumental workforce. Dr. Dangut announced that 29,000 senior secondary school teachers, nominated by various state ministries of education, have been deployed as supervisors. To ensure a hitch-free exercise, WAEC is working in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies.
Addressing the elephant in the room—national insecurity—the HNO acknowledged that the Council could not feign ignorance of the challenges posed by unrest in certain parts of the country. He noted that past examinations had seen incidents that threatened the safety of both staff and students. Consequently, security protocols have been significantly tightened, with specialized units providing cover for the movement of sensitive materials and the protection of remote examination centers.
Furthermore, the HNO assured the public that measures are in place to prevent a repeat of last year’s scheduling crises. In 2025, logistical delays forced some candidates to sit for the English Language paper during odd, late-night hours. Dr. Dangut emphasized that the Council has streamlined its distribution chain to ensure all materials arrive at centers well ahead of time.
For candidates anxious about their future academic pursuits, WAEC has committed to a swift turnaround time. The HNO confirmed that the results of the 2026 school-based examination will be released 45 days after the final paper is written.
In a major push for digital accessibility, digital certificates will be available almost immediately after the release of results. For those requiring physical evidence of their achievement, hard copies of certificates will be ready for collection at their respective schools 90 days after the conclusion of the exams.
Closing his address, Dr. Dangut issued a stern warning to the nearly two million candidates, as well as supervisors, invigilators, and parents. He stated that the Council remains committed to a policy of zero tolerance for examination malpractice. Anyone caught attempting to compromise the exam will be dealt with decisively according to the law. He concluded by wishing all 1,959,639 candidates the best of luck in their quest for academic success.
