THE WEST African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld a total of 167, 486 of results of candidates who sat for its 2026 West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) for school candidates.
Head of National Office (HNO) Dr Amos Dangut, revealed this while announcing the release of the results at a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to him, the number of the withheld results represents 8.59 per cent of the total candidates that sat for the Computer Based Test (CBT).
He added that the withheld results were allegedly in connection with various reported cases of examination malpractice.
According to him, the figure is 1.11 per cent lower than the 9.7 per cent recorded in the same diet in 2025.
“The increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and organised cheating in some schools, are other nagging issues.
“All the cases are being investigated and reports of the investigations will be presented to the appropriate committee of council, for consideration and final decisions.
“The committee’s decisions will be communicated to the affected candidates through their various schools, in due course.
“Candidates affected by these decisions can now call for redress of their malpractice cases if they so wish, through council’s complaint website,” he stated.
Speaking further on the examination, the WAEC boss said a total of 1,959,668 candidates drawn from 24,207 schools across the country, enrolled for the examination.
“Of the number that registered, 1,950,726 candidates sat for the examination, which also had candidates from some schools in Benin Republic.
“The examination was also administered to candidates in Cote d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea, where the Nigerian curriculum for Senior Secondary Schools is being used,” he said.
He noted that of the number that sat for the examination, 953,459 were males while 997,267 others were females, representing 48.88 per cent and 51.12 per cent, respectively.
Giving a breakdown of performance of candidates, the HNO said, of the total number that sat for the test in Nigeria, 1,834,695, representing 94.05 per cent had their results fully processed and released.
According to him, 116,031 others representing 5.95 per cent have one or more of their subjects still being processed due to some issues that are yet to be resolved.
He however assured that efforts were ongoing to speedily complete the process and release the affected candidates’ results in a couple of days.
“Of the number that sat for the examination, 1,950,726 obtained five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, qualifying them for placements into tertiary institutions nationwide.
“I also wish to report that a total of 1,213 candidates with varying degrees of ‘Special Needs’ registered for the examination.
“Out of this number, 137 are visually challenged, 491 have impaired hearing, 55 others spastic cum mentally challenged and 41 physically challenged. All these candidates were adequately provided for, in the administration of the examination.
“The results of these candidates have been processed and are also now being released alongside those of other candidates,” he said.
According to him, the remaining 116,031 other candidates have their results still undergoing processing, because of unresolved issues requiring further verification before completion and eventual release by the council.
Dangut said the 2026 performance represented 1.42 per cent decline, when compared to what was obtained in the same diet in 2025.
According to him, the 2026 WASSCE for school candidates recorded notable technological improvements and strengthened anti-malpractice measures put in place nationwide.
“WAEC successfully conducted both the CBT and Paper Pencil Examinations (PPE) becoming Nigeria’s first examining body implementing computer-based achievement tests,for school candidates, on this remarkable nationwide scale,” he said.
He explained that council had introduced the Digital Examiner Marking System and discontinued Smart Identity Cards, allowing candidates to generate electronic PINs through its digital certificate platform.
“Candidates can conveniently generate e-PINs online through our digital certificate platform, eliminating dependence on Smart Identity Cards for checking examination results nationwide,” Dangut added.
He noted that the growing use of mobile phones, organised cheating and rogue websites, had remained worrisome to council.
The HNO warned that culpable supervisors and invigilators would face sanctions under existing regulations.
Speaking further, Dangut identified logistics delays, inflation-driven operational costs, late registrations and examination malpractice as some of the other challenges facing council’s operations.
He however maintained that the 2026 WASSCE was largely successful in spite of the setbacks recorded.
“We successfully supported 1,213 candidates with special needs, ensuring equal opportunities throughout the examination process, irrespective of operational challenges encountered during the exercise nationwide,” he stated.
He said candidates could access the released results within 12 hours and obtain digital certificates within 48 hours. According to him, printed certificates will be made available after 90 days.
Dangut disclosed that registration for the 2026 WASSCE for Private Candidates Second Series was in progress, while preparations for the 2027 First Series examination would commence shortly nationwide. (NAN)
