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By Tracy Moses
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has revealed that the Federal Government may soon require the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) to conduct their exams using the Computer-Based Test (CBT) format starting from 2026.
Alausa made the revelation while overseeing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory on Monday, April 28, 2025.
Recall that the Federal Government had initiated a transition towards CBT for the UTME in 2013. JAMB began administering the examination exclusively through CBT in that year, after a pilot scheme in 2012.
This was a significant shift from the traditional paper-and-pencil mode of examination, marking the start of Nigeria’s drive to modernize its examination systems using digital tools. The success of this transition, with millions of candidates taking the UTME annually via CBT, served as a strong foundation for the government’s decision to introduce CBT in other major exams, such as WAEC and NECO, which are taken by similar large numbers of candidates.
According to Alausa, since it has been proven that JAMB is capable of conducting its UTME for over 2.2 million candidates across Nigeria with 100% success using the CBT system, it is feasible for WAEC and NECO, which together handle an average annual enrollment of 1.8 to 2 million candidates, to implement the same system.
“I know WAEC and NECO have other components in their exams, such as practicals, objective, and essay. Both the essay and objective sections will be conducted via Computer-Based Test (CBT). That’s why it has been staggered,” he explained.
The Minister further disclosed that by November 2025, exams will begin to be held using the CBT format. Then, starting from May/June 2026, both the essay and objective sections of the exams will fully transition to the CBT mode.
“The way JAMB is conducting its annual exams meets all international standards, making it very difficult for candidates to cheat.
“The exams are done, monitored, and coordinated with a high level of integrity. We are very proud that this can be done in Nigeria. We are a great country, ” Alausa said.
He emphasized that the goal of the Ministry of Education is to create a generation of students who can succeed without relying on cheating.
“When students cheat during exams, it undermines the efforts of the hardworking ones,” the Minister pointed out.
Meanwhile, the Registrar of JAMB, Isaq Oloyede, has been appointed to serve on a committee tasked with monitoring the quality of public examinations.
The Minister has instructed the committee to develop recommendations on how to uphold high standards in all public exams, ensuring they are on par with global standards.