Nigeria’s Education Minister Orders WAEC, NECO to Fully Embrace CBT by 2026

In a major policy shift, the Federal Government has instructed WAEC and NECO to adopt full Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for all their examinations by 2026.

Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa announced this during a monitoring visit to ongoing exams in Bwari, accompanied by JAMB officials.

Currently, more than two million candidates are registered for exams conducted at over 800 centers nationwide. Dr. Alausa disclosed that from November this year, objective papers will be administered via CBT, with the full transition-including essay papers-set for May or June 2026.

“If JAMB can successfully conduct CBT exams for more than 2.2 million candidates, WAEC and NECO can do the same,” he said, underscoring the government’s commitment to eradicating exam malpractice.

A committee is reviewing examination standards nationwide, with recommendations due next month.

JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede clarified that UTME exams have always started at 8 a.m., with candidates arriving by 6:30 a.m. for accreditation. He refuted complaints about early arrival and center assignments, confirming that over 1.6 million candidates have completed exams and about 50,000 remain. He also reported over 40 arrests for malpractice, including impersonation and smuggling exam questions, and noted over 41,000 candidates were underage.