FG Insists on Full CBT for WAEC and NECO by 2026 – Here’s What You Need to Know
The Federal Government has made it clear: by 2026, all WAEC and NECO examinations will fully transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT). This was confirmed by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during his appearance on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, May 6.
This announcement comes at a time when public concern over the credibility of national examinations is growing. Recent data from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) showed that over 1.5 million out of 1.95 million candidates scored below 200 out of 400.
Reacting to the poor results, Dr. Alausa said it’s a sign that exams are finally being conducted properly—with stricter controls in place.
“That’s a big concern, and it’s a reflection of exams being done the proper way," he said.
He praised JAMB for leading the way with CBT and highlighted how the system has drastically reduced cheating.
“JAMB conducts its exam using a computer-based testing system. They’ve implemented strong security measures, and as a result, fraud or cheating has been nearly eliminated. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for WAEC and NECO.”
Why the Shift to CBT?
Dr. Alausa explained that shortly after taking office, he ordered a full review of how exams are conducted across the country. A committee was set up to investigate the current systems, and he is expecting their report soon.
“We carried out a diagnostic review of how exams are conducted nationwide. I set up a committee to investigate this, and I expect to receive their report in the coming days,” he said.
He revealed that the transition to CBT for WAEC and NECO will begin in November 2025, starting with multiple-choice (objective) papers. By May/June 2026, the full rollout—including essay sections—will be in place.
“We have to use technology to fight this fraud. There are so many ‘miracle centres’ and that is simply unacceptable. People cheat during WAEC and NECO exams and then face JAMB, where cheating is nearly impossible. That’s the disparity we’re seeing now. It’s sad.”
Exam Fraud Is Hurting Good Students
Beyond just exam integrity, Dr. Alausa stressed how widespread malpractice is demotivating students who actually want to work hard.
“The worst part of cheating is that it disincentivises the hard-working ones. If I’m preparing for WAEC or NECO and I know some classmates already have access to the questions, do you think I’ll still study hard?
No, I’ll be tempted to join them. That’s how good students are corrupted, and that’s exactly what we must stop.”
When asked whether poor student performance was due to bad teaching or cheating, the minister said it’s both—but malpractice remains the bigger issue.
“We’re addressing the quality of teaching and using technology, including online classes, to support learning from primary to secondary levels. But the pervasive cheating in our high school exams—especially WAEC and NECO—is the core problem.”
He continued by pointing out that the environment, not the students, is the main obstacle:
“JAMB is now almost 100 percent fraud-free, but WAEC and NECO still have major lapses. Our youths are intelligent, capable, and energetic. It’s the environment that corrupts them, and we’re determined to fix that.”
Stakeholders Already On Board
Dr. Alausa confirmed that discussions have already taken place with major examination bodies including WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and NBAIS. According to him, there is no turning back.
“By November this year, WAEC and NECO will begin CBT exams. There’s no going back on that.”
This move isn’t entirely new. WAEC had already tested CBT for private candidates in 2023, with over 8,000 candidates participating in that pilot phase.
In April, the Ministry of Education officially directed WAEC and NECO to fully switch to computer-based testing by 2026. The timeline is now set: objective papers move to CBT by November 2025, and both objective and essay papers will go fully digital by the May/June 2026 exam cycle.
