The Federal Government has directed the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to adopt Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for all their exams by 2026. This was revealed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a visit to monitor the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Bwari, Abuja, on Monday.

Dr. Alausa stated that WAEC and NECO will begin administering their objective papers via CBT starting in November 2025. Full implementation of CBT, including essay papers, is expected by May/June 2026. He emphasized that if JAMB can successfully conduct CBT exams for over 2.2 million candidates, WAEC and NECO should be able to achieve the same.

Alausa also mentioned that a committee is currently reviewing the national examination standards, and their recommendations are expected next month.

In a related development, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede addressed concerns regarding early reporting times for candidates. He clarified that although the UTME exams begin at 8:00 a.m., candidates are expected to arrive by 6:30 a.m. to allow for accreditation before the exams start. He explained that the first session starts at 8 a.m., the second at 10:30 a.m., the third at 1 p.m., and the fourth at 3:30 p.m.

Prof. Oloyede also responded to claims that candidates were being posted to centers they did not choose. He confirmed that investigations revealed no such incidents had occurred. He further disclosed that of the 2.03 million registered candidates, more than 1.6 million had completed their exams, with about 50,000 still to take theirs.

Additionally, Oloyede revealed that over 40 candidates had been arrested for various forms of exam malpractice, including impersonation and attempts to smuggle out exam questions with hidden cameras. He also confirmed that more than 41,000 registered candidates were underage.

The transition to CBT for WAEC and NECO exams by 2026 is a major step toward modernizing Nigeria's education system and addressing the issue of exam malpractice. However, experts have noted that challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, and the need for extensive training for both students and educators will need to be addressed to ensure a smooth transition.