The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that a total of 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools registered for the ongoing 2026 Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for school candidates across Nigeria.
Speaking during a press briefing held on Monday at the WAEC National Office in Yaba, Lagos, the Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, Amos Josiah Dangut, said the examination commenced on April 21, 2026, with practical papers and would end on June 19, 2026.
Dangut disclosed that 958,564 candidates representing 48.92 per cent are male, while 1,001,072 candidates, representing 51.08 per cent, are female, indicating an increase in female participation compared to the previous year.
According to him, candidates will sit for 37 subjects comprising 97 papers, while about 29,000 senior secondary school teachers nominated by Ministries of Education across the country are participating as supervisors.
He explained that the growing acceptance of the computer-based examination was due to its seamless conduct, alignment with global best practices, and the success recorded during the maiden edition held in 2025.
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The WAEC official also revealed that some offshore schools in neighbouring countries using the WAEC syllabus had joined the 2026 CB-WASSCE.
Dangut said the council had continued to strengthen its examination processes through technological innovations, including the serialization of examination papers to ensure that no two candidates receive the same sequence of questions.
“This innovation is aimed at upholding the academic and moral integrity of the National Policy on Education,” he stated.
On security concerns, Dangut acknowledged the challenges posed by insecurity in some parts of the country but noted that the council had continued to work closely with the Nigeria Police Force, security agencies, and state governments to ensure smooth conduct of the examination.
He reiterated WAEC’s zero tolerance for examination malpractice, warning that candidates, supervisors, and schools found guilty would face sanctions approved by the Nigeria Examinations Committee.
Dangut further warned rogue website operators against engaging in activities capable of undermining the integrity of the examination, adding that WAEC, in collaboration with security agencies, would track and prosecute offenders.
The council also highlighted several digital innovations introduced to improve service delivery, including the WAEC Digital Certificate platform, WAEC Verify, Centre Locator, Examination Malpractice Portal, WAEC Chatbot, and e-learning platforms for candidates.
Dangut stated that results for the examination would be released 45 days after the last paper, while certificates would be issued to schools within 90 days.
He added that digital copies of certificates would also be accessible online.
He assured candidates and stakeholders that WAEC, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, state ministries, and security agencies, remained fully prepared to deliver a credible 2026 CB-WASSCE across the country.
