RismadarVoice Reporters
September 4, 2026
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has alleged that National Examinations Council (NECO) question papers were previously sold for N3,000 before candidates sat for the examinations.
Mr Alausa made the allegation on Thursday during a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other stakeholders in the education sector.
He described the level of examination malpractice in Nigeria as “mind-boggling” and warned parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals, invigilators and students against practices that could undermine the credibility of public examinations.
According to the minister, examination malpractice had become entrenched in the country over the years, creating an unfair system in which students who prepared adequately were disadvantaged by candidates who obtained examination materials before the tests.
Mr Alausa said the situation could also encourage students who initially intended to sit for examinations honestly to engage in malpractice to compete with those who had access to leaked questions.
He recalled an alleged incident involving the former NECO Registrar, Ibrahim Wushishi, saying examination questions were made available to some candidates before the examinations.
“It’s sad. Before she (Minister of State for Education) and I came, the acceptance of examination malpractice, cheating and examination leakages in this country was mind-boggling,” he said.
He added that the development was dangerous because “the good students would also become bad.”
Mr Alausa also recounted his experience during the 2025 examination period, saying he regularly received examination questions that were allegedly obtained before candidates sat for the papers.
According to him, officials were sometimes forced to verify the authenticity of the questions with examination authorities.
He said on some occasions, the authorities confirmed that the questions being circulated were the same papers scheduled for the day.
The minister said the experience demonstrated the scale of the challenge confronting efforts to curb examination malpractice.
He argued that the problem should not be blamed solely on students, saying parents, schools, teachers, invigilators and principals also had a responsibility to protect the integrity of examinations.
Mr Alausa said students were often the least responsible when adults within the education system connived to facilitate examination malpractice.
“You might be in that isolated school, but the school system is also involved. In fact, I don’t blame the students that much,” he said.
He added that where parents, schools, teachers, invigilators and principals were involved in malpractice, students became the “smallest players” in the scheme.
The minister said the Federal Government would strengthen measures to prevent examination question leakages and other forms of malpractice, stressing that academic qualifications should reflect genuine learning and merit.
He said the reforms were part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader efforts to improve standards in Nigeria’s education system.
The Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, also urged private school proprietors and other stakeholders to support the government’s examination reforms.
Ms Ahmad said some students who performed exceptionally well in internal examinations could struggle in external examinations because they had become accustomed to accessing leaked questions.
She said the introduction of serialised examination questions would make it more difficult for candidates to rely on leaked materials and encourage them to prepare adequately.
The minister urged schools to complete their curricula on schedule and promote consistent study among students.
She assured stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to engage private schools and other education-sector stakeholders as the reforms are implemented.
The latest warning comes amid longstanding concerns over examination malpractice in Nigeria, including question-paper leakages, impersonation, collusion and unauthorised assistance to candidates.
The government said its renewed focus on examination integrity is intended to ensure that public examination results provide a credible assessment of students’ knowledge and abilities.
