As part of efforts to restore credibility and public trust in Nigeria’s education assessment system, the Federal Government has unveiled fresh strategies to curb examination malpractice in West Africa Examinastion Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO).
The initiative forms part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and confidence in national assessments.
The measures, announced by the Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmed, represent one of the most far-reaching overhauls of the examination system in recent years.
Speaking on the new framework on Monday in Abuja, the ministers said the reforms were designed to safeguard the integrity of national examinations and rebuild public confidence in the Nigerian education system.
Under the new system, they said all candidates will answer the same questions, but the sequence and arrangement will vary for each individual, ensuring that every candidate sits for a unique version of the examination.
The Ministers explained that the innovation would significantly curb copying and organised cheating by ensuring that no two candidates have identical question arrangements, we are closing one of the most exploited avenues for examination malpractice.
The Federal Government also reaffirmed its long-standing policy banning the transfer of candidates at the Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) level, a practice often linked to examination racketeering.
“At the heart of our intervention is the determination to end systemic leakage, collusion and administrative loopholes that have undermined the credibility of our certificates over the years.
“The 2026 examinations will be conducted under stricter controls that align with global best practices,” they noted.
The Federal Government also reaffirmed its long-standing policy banning the transfer of candidates at the Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) level, a practice often linked to examination racketeering.
In another major step to strengthen transparency, the Ministry also announced the immediate implementation of new national Continuous Assessment (CA) guidelines. Under the framework, all examination bodies, including WAEC, NECO and the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), must adhere strictly to standardised submission timelines.
The approved submission windows are January for First Term CA, April for Second Term CA, and August for Third Term CA.
The Ministry described the timelines as mandatory, stressing that they were introduced to ensure uniformity, data integrity and timely processing of candidates’ records nationwide.
Perhaps the most far-reaching reform is the introduction of a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number for every candidate.
The Ministry revealed that the implementation would enable effective tracking of learners throughout the examination cycle and strengthen accountability in assessment, certification and data management.
The ministers assured stakeholders that examination administration would now be conducted under enhanced supervision and tighter coordination with all relevant examination bodies.
They noted that compliance with ethical standards and operational guidelines would be strictly monitored.
“These measures demonstrate the Federal Government’s resolve to conduct examinations that are fair, credible and reflective of Nigeria’s aspirations. Our certificates must command respect both at home and internationally.”
The Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to working with examination bodies, state governments, school administrators, parents and candidates to ensure seamless implementation of the reforms and the smooth conduct of the 2026 examinations across the country.
