The Head of the Nigeria National Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut, has identified inflation, late registration by schools, logistics challenges and the activities of rogue website operators as some of the biggest obstacles encountered during the conduct of the 2026 WASSCE.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, Dangut described schools’ failure to meet registration deadlines as “perhaps the greatest headache” faced by the Council.
According to him, several schools delayed uploading Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) and failed to complete registration within stipulated timelines, thereby disrupting critical examination planning.”It should be known to all and sundry that registration for WAEC examinations is not an open-ended thing.”
“Pre-examination materials, examination materials and post-examination materials must be produced using data supplied by candidates in good time before the conduct of any diet. Failure to meet these requirements would throw the entire process into jeopardy.”
He appealed to schools to cooperate with the Council in future examinations to reduce unnecessary pressure.
Dangut also recalled the logistics setback experienced during one of the major examination papers, noting that the delay almost denied Nigerian candidates the opportunity of writing the examination alongside candidates in other WAEC member countries.
“These posed serious threat that could have deprived Nigerian candidates the privilege of sitting the papers with their counterparts in other member countries but thankfully examinations were successfully conducted.”
He expressed appreciation to parents and guardians for their patience during the period.
The WAEC chief also lamented the effect of Nigeria’s economic situation on examination administration. “The rate of inflation in the country has affected the cost of everything and the Council is not excluded as this has greatly added to the challenges we are facing in terms of the cost of conducting examinations.”
Dangut reserved some of his strongest words for operators of fake examination websites, accusing them of turning examination periods into business opportunities through cyber fraud. “As some of these faceless miscreants have turned WAEC’s examination periods into a cash cow, peddling fake papers and manipulating students through cyber deception.”
He warned that such operators exploit candidates’ anxiety while misleading parents and eroding confidence in the nation’s education system. “These unscrupulous elements have become the thorn in the Council’s flesh and its arch nemesis.”
He disclosed that, working with security agencies, WAEC arrested some of the perpetrators, while supervisors and invigilators caught aiding examination malpractice were also sanctioned.
The Council, he said, would continue to impose stiff sanctions on schools, teachers, supervisors and candidates found culpable of examination malpractice.