FG Rolls Out Nationwide Reforms to Tackle WAEC, NECO Exam Malpractice

The Federal Government has announced a comprehensive set of measures aimed at eliminating examination malpractice in WAEC and NECO examinations starting from the 2026 examination cycle.

The announcement was made in a press release issued on January 5, 2026, by the Federal Ministry of Education and signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

The reforms come amid long-standing concerns over the credibility of public examinations in Nigeria and ongoing efforts by the government to strengthen transparency and restore public confidence in the country’s assessment system.

What they are saying 

According to the Ministry, the new measures were disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmed, as part of broader education sector reforms.

One of the major changes is enhanced question randomisation and serialisation, which will ensure that while candidates answer the same questions, the sequence and arrangement differs for each student.

“This ensures that every candidate writes a unique version of the examination and significantly reduces opportunities for collusion,” the statement noted.

The Ministry announced the introduction of a unique Examination Learners’ Identity Number for all candidates. According to the statement, the identifier will support effective tracking of learners throughout the examination process, strengthen monitoring and accountability, and support long-term reforms in assessment, certification, and education data management.

The education ministry also developed a new mandatory nationwide national Continuous Assessment guideline for immediate implementation. Under the new framework, First Term Continuous Assessment must be submitted in January, Second Term submissions in April, and Third Term submissions in August.

More insights 

The Ministry reaffirmed its strict policy prohibiting the transfer of candidates at the Senior Secondary School 3 level will now be rigorously enforced to prevent last-minute school changes often associated with examination malpractice.

The Ministers assured stakeholders that examination administration will be conducted under strengthened supervision and in close coordination with relevant examination bodies. They emphasized that the new measures reflect the Federal Government’s resolve to conduct examinations that are credible, fair, and aligned with global best practices, while addressing Nigeria’s educational realities.

What you should know 

Examination malpractice remains a major concern in Nigeria’s education sector, often weakening the credibility of certificates issued by examination bodies.

In 2025, WAEC withheld 192,089 results, or 9.75 percent of candidates, down from 11.92 percent in 2024, though concerns remain over organised cheating and mobile phone use.

• JAMB’s report highlighted technology-driven malpractice during the UTME, including thousands of cases of fingerprint manipulation, AI-assisted impersonation, and credential forgery, but only about 140 actual exam malpractices were confirmed.
• NECO reported 3,878 candidates involved in malpractice in 2025, although this was a significant improvement compared with 10,094 in 2024, marking a 61.6 percent reduction.