WAEC Revokes Licences of 574 Schools in Nigeria Over Exam Malpractice | 2025 WASSCE Updates
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Nigeria, has taken a firm stance against examination malpractice by revoking the licences of 574 schools across the country. These schools were found guilty of compromising the integrity of the examination process and will no longer serve as recognized WAEC examination centres.
The announcement was made by Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut, Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, during a press briefing held at the Council's headquarters in Lagos on Thursday. Dr. Dangut confirmed that the names of the affected schools have been forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Education for further sanctions and enforcement.
“This year, we have withdrawn recognition from a total of 574 schools. These centres have been blacklisted, and we will not conduct any examinations there. As far as WAEC is concerned, we no longer recognize them for exam purposes,” he stated.
Dr. Dangut also emphasized that this disciplinary action will be supported and upheld by other national examination bodies, ensuring that such schools are held accountable beyond WAEC alone.
2025 WASSCE to Begin April 24 with Over 1.9 Million Candidates
As WAEC prepares for the 2025 edition of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Dr. Dangut revealed that 1,973,253 candidates from 23,554 schools have registered for the exam, which will run from Thursday, April 24 to Friday, June 20, 2025.
The gender breakdown includes 979,228 male and 994,025 female candidates, indicating a continued rise in female participation.
This year marks a major technological milestone for the examination body as it introduces the Computer-Based WASSCE (CB-WASSCE) for school candidates. WAEC aims to use digital innovation to curb cheating and streamline the exam process.
“No two candidates will receive the same set of questions. Each number on the exam will have a variation to discourage malpractice,” Dr. Dangut explained.
Faster Result Processing & Certification
In line with its commitment to efficiency, WAEC plans to release results within 45 days of the conclusion of the last paper. Additionally, certificates will be printed and distributed to schools within 90 days of result publication.
The registration process this year also saw the mandatory inclusion of the National Identification Number (NIN) in compliance with federal directives—further tightening security and enhancing candidate verification.
WAEC’s decisive actions reflect a renewed commitment to upholding the credibility of examinations in Nigeria. As the 2025 WASSCE approaches, all eyes will be on how these reforms and technological advancements shape the future of standardized testing in West Africa.
