The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has issued a directive for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to begin conducting objective tests through Computer-Based Testing (CBT) by November 2025.
Dr. Alausa announced that by May/June 2026, both the objective and essay components of WAEC and NECO examinations are anticipated to be fully transitioned to CBT, aiming to further combat examination malpractice.
This announcement was made during an inspection of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), following a visit to several examination centres in Abuja on Monday.
He remarked that since JAMB successfully conducts CBT exams for over 2.2 million candidates nationwide, WAEC and NECO, which cater to slightly fewer candidates, should also be able to achieve this without any issues.
Dr. Alausa expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing UTME, commending the high level of coordination, transparency, and integrity exhibited by the Board. He described the examination process as meeting international standards and being nearly foolproof against malpractice.
He emphasised that under the current administration, the rule of law is upheld, enabling institutions like JAMB to function independently and efficiently.
The Minister cautioned candidates against resorting to cheating, encouraging them to depend on their hard work for success.
Additionally, he revealed that a committee led by a Professor has been established to review and recommend strategies for maintaining and enhancing examination quality at all levels.
In his remarks, the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, provided a comprehensive overview of the technical and operational framework behind the administration of the UTME.
Oloyede disclosed that JAMB processed applications from over 2,040,538 candidates seeking admission into 1,452 tertiary institutions, supported by over 2,000 staff members and numerous ad-hoc personnel managing CBT centres across the federation.
He affirmed that JAMB’s robust and secure processes have set a new benchmark for examinations in Nigeria and reiterated the Board’s commitment to sustaining and enhancing these standards.
