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The Nigerian government has announced new measures to curb examination malpractice in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations starting from 2026.
The strategies were unveiled on Monday in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmed.
In a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, on January 5, the government said the reforms are aimed at restoring credibility and public confidence across all stages of national examinations.
To address ongoing cheating and other exam irregularities, the ministry intends to implement technology-based solutions and more stringent administrative controls, according to the statement.
One of the key measures is enhanced question randomisation and serialisation. Under the system, candidates will answer the same questions, but the order and structure will differ for each candidate.
The ministry said this would ensure that “every student writes a unique version of the examination,” reducing opportunities for collusion.
In addition, the ministry has developed new national guidelines for continuous assessment, which have been approved for immediate implementation. The guidelines require all examination bodies to comply with fixed deadlines for submitting assessment records.
The ministry stated, “All examination bodies (WAEC, NECO, NBAIS, etc.) must strictly follow the standardised submission deadlines for each academic period: Submission Windows (First Term CA: January; Second Term CA: April; Third Term CA: August).
“These timelines are mandatory and designed to ensure consistency, data integrity, and prompt processing of continuous assessment records across the country.”
The ministry also announced the introduction of a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number for all candidates. Officials said the identifier would help track candidates throughout the examination process and improve monitoring, accountability, and data management.
“This identifier will enable effective tracking of learners throughout the examination process, strengthen monitoring and accountability, and support long-term reforms in assessment, certification, and data management.”
The ministers said examinations would now be conducted under closer supervision, in collaboration with examination bodies, to ensure compliance with ethical standards.
“They emphasised that these measures reflect the Nigerian government’s resolve to conduct examinations that are credible, fair, and reflective of global best practices, while addressing Nigeria’s unique educational realities.
“The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with all examination bodies, state governments, school administrators, parents, and candidates to ensure the successful implementation of these strategies and the smooth conduct of the 2026 examinations nationwide.”
