RismadarVoice Reporters
January 6, 2026
The Federal Government has announced a comprehensive set of measures aimed at eliminating examination malpractice in WAEC and NECO examinations from 2026 and beyond as part of ongoing reforms to strengthen credibility, transparency, public confidence in Nigeria’s assessment system
The disclosure was made by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, alongside the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmed, who stated that the Federal Ministry of Education is intensifying oversight, deploying targeted strategies to safeguard the integrity of national examinations
One of the major measures introduced is enhanced question randomization and serialization, while all candidates will answer the same questions, the sequence and arrangement will differ for each candidate, ensuring that every student writes a unique version of the examination, significantly reducing opportunities for collusion
The Ministry also reaffirmed its strict policy, prohibiting the transfer of candidates at the Senior Secondary School Three level. This directive which – has already been communicated through an official circular will be rigorously enforced to prevent last minute school changes, commonly linked to examination malpractice
To further promote transparency, new national Continuous Assessment guidelines have been developed for immediate implementation. All examination bodies including WAEC, NECO, NBAIS are required to strictly adhere to standardized submission timelines from January for First Term, April for Second Term, August for Third Term.
These timelines are mandatory, designed to ensure consistency, data integrity, prompt processing of assessment records, nationwide.
In addition, the Federal Ministry of Education is introducing a unique Examination Learners Identity Number for all candidates. This identifier will enable effective tracking of learners throughout the examination process, strengthen monitoring, accountability and support long term reforms in assessment certification and data management.
The Ministers assured stakeholders that examination administration will be conducted under strengthened supervision, with closer coordination among relevant examination bodies to ensure full compliance with established guidelines and ethical standards.
They emphasized that the new measures reflect the Federal Government’s resolve to conduct examinations that are credible, fair, and aligned with global best practices while addressing Nigeria’s unique educational realities.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment towards working closely with examination bodies, state governments, school administrators, parents, and candidates to ensure successful implementation of the reforms and the smooth conduct of the 2026 examinations across the country.
