FG unveils sweeping reforms to curb WAEC, NECO exam malpractice

The Federal Government has announced a comprehensive package of reforms aimed at eliminating examination malpractice in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations beginning with the 2026 examination cycle.

The announcement was made in a press release issued on January 5, 2026, by the Federal Ministry of Education and signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

The reforms are part of sustained efforts by the government to strengthen transparency, restore credibility, and rebuild public confidence in Nigeria’s public examination system.

According to the Ministry, the new measures were unveiled by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, in collaboration with the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmed, as part of broader education sector reforms.

A key component of the new policy is enhanced question randomisation and serialisation. Under this system, candidates will answer the same examination questions, but the sequence and arrangement will differ for each student, significantly reducing opportunities for copying and collusion.

“This ensures that every candidate writes a unique version of the examination and significantly reduces opportunities for collusion,” the Ministry stated.

Another major innovation is the introduction of a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number for all candidates.

The Ministry explained that the identifier will enable effective tracking of learners throughout the examination process, strengthen monitoring and accountability, and support long-term reforms in assessment, certification, and education data management.

The Federal Government has also introduced a new mandatory nationwide Continuous Assessment (CA) guideline, which takes immediate effect.

Under the new framework, schools are required to submit First Term Continuous Assessment scores in January, Second Term submissions in April, and Third Term submissions in August, ensuring consistency and reducing manipulation of assessment records.

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In addition, the Ministry reaffirmed its strict policy prohibiting the transfer of candidates at the Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3) level. Authorities said the policy will now be rigorously enforced to curb last-minute school changes often linked to examination malpractice.

The Ministers assured stakeholders that examination administration would be conducted under strengthened supervision and in close coordination with examination bodies, stressing that the reforms demonstrate the Federal Government’s commitment to conducting examinations that are credible, fair, and aligned with global best practices, while remaining sensitive to Nigeria’s educational realities.

Examination malpractice has long been a major challenge in Nigeria’s education sector, often undermining the integrity of certificates issued by examination bodies.

In 2025, WAEC withheld 192,089 results, representing 9.75 percent of candidates, an improvement from 11.92 percent recorded in 2024, though concerns persist over organised cheating and mobile phone usage.

Similarly, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) reported a rise in technology-driven malpractice during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), including fingerprint manipulation, AI-assisted impersonation, and credential forgery, although only about 140 cases were confirmed as actual exam malpractices.

NECO also reported progress, with 3,878 candidates involved in malpractice in 2025, down from 10,094 in 2024, marking a 61.6 percent reduction.

The Federal Government expressed optimism that the new reforms, when fully implemented from 2026, will significantly reduce examination malpractice and strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s assessment system.