The Minister of Education, Dr Tunde Alausa says the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) will adopt Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for their examinations fully by 2026
The minister made this announcement during a monitoring visit to the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory
The minister said WAEC and NECO will begin conducting objective exams via CBT in November 2025 and By May-June 2026, both objective and essay components of the exams will be conducted via CBT.
“We’re going to get WAEC and NECO by November of this year to also start their objective exam on CBT. By their 2026 exams, which will come up in May-June, both the objectives and the essay will be full on CBT,” he said..
He expressed satisfaction with JAMB’s conduct of the exam, stating that it meets all international benchmarks.
“The way JAMB is conducting its annual exam meets all international benchmarks. So this is an exam that is done, monitored, and coordinated with the highest level of integrity, and I’m happy that we’re able to do this in Nigeria,” he said.
Alausa cited the Board’s ability to conduct CBT exams for over 2.2 million candidates as evidence that WAEC and NECO can also make the transition.
“I just went to their control room, and I can give you many more real-time numbers. JAMB conducts exams for about 2.2 million people across the country.
“The annual number of people who enrolled for WAEC is about 1.8 million, and it is so for NECO. So, if we can conduct CBT-based exams for 2 million people, if JAMB can do that, I see no reason why WAEC cannot do the same thing. I know they have other components in the exams.
“They have the practical; they have the essay and the objective part of the exam. But at least both essay and objective would have to be done via CBT, and that’s why we’ve staggered it. For the November exams, they will do CBT for only the objectives. By May and June of 2026, both essays and objectives will be done via CBT,” he said.
The minister said, the move aimed to eliminate examination malpractices and promote a more secure and efficient examination process.
“We want our children to study and not cheat. When some students cheat during the exams, it disincentivises the hard-working ones.
“I set up a committee led by Professor Oloyede for the monitoring of exam quality. I’ll be getting the results of that committee by the end of next month and they’ve been tasked with really deciphering our examination process that includes all the exams we do at all levels of our school and coming up with expansive recommendations on how we can maintain the highest quality of examinations that meet any standard compared to anywhere in the world.
“I’m hopeful; I’m awaiting those reports, but ahead of me getting those reports, I’ve mandated both WAEC and NECO to start implementing computer-based exams from the November exams of 2025,” he said.
He said a committee tasked with reviewing examination standards nationwide is expected to present its recommendations next month.
‘’A committee tasked with reviewing examination standards nationwide is expected to present its recommendations next month,” he said
JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede clarified that the UTME exams have always commenced at 8 a.m., with candidates arriving by 6:30 a.m. for accreditation. He said the exam was moving on excellently, while refuting claims about candidates being assigned to unselected centers and confirmed that over 1.6 million candidates have completed their exams, with roughly 50,000 remaining.
He also reported over 40 arrests for exam malpractice, including impersonation and smuggling of exam questions.
‘’Those arrested for exam malpractices will be prosecuted soon,’’ said Professor Oloyede
He added that more than 41,000 candidates were detected to underage during the examination registration process.
The 2025 JAMB exams which is the gateway for admissions into Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of education in Nigeria, commenced 24th April, 2025 across the country
