The Federal Government has announced plans to fully transition the school-based Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) conducted by WAEC and NECO to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) centres by 2026.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this after observing NECO’s pilot CBT SSCE session at Sascon International School in Maitama, Abuja. Commending the seamless execution of the pilot, Alausa said future SSCE exams will no longer be written in classrooms but at designated CBT centres—just like JAMB exams.
“We have thousands of CBT centres across the country, and these centres will now be expanded to handle NECO and WAEC exams as well,” the Minister said, emphasizing the economic and technological benefits of this shift. “These are homegrown solutions. We should all be proud.”
He stated that the transition would begin with objective questions this year, with full CBT implementation for both essay and objective exams by 2026. The reform is expected to curb exam malpractice and enhance the credibility of national assessments.
NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, affirmed the exam body’s readiness for the transition despite infrastructure challenges. He urged state governments to invest in CBT facilities to support the shift, emphasizing its potential to improve exam integrity and global recognition of Nigerian certificates.
This year’s SSCE saw a record-breaking registration of 1,367,210 candidates, with Kano State leading in enrollment and Kebbi State recording the least.
Senator Ekong Samson and Hon. Oboku Oforji, who monitored exams at Maitama and Apo respectively, pledged legislative backing for the CBT transition, describing it as a necessary leap to align Nigeria’s education system with global standards.
