The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has postponed the full rollout of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode for its Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), moving the implementation date from 2026 to 2027.
Despite the shift, the May/June 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will serve as an extensive pilot phase. During this period, candidates will be allowed to choose between writing their examinations using the new CBT format or the traditional paper-and-pen method.
The update was disclosed by Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, Chairman of the Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of WAEC and the Federal Government’s Nominee, during the 63rd Annual Meeting of the NNC — the highest decision-making body for WAEC in Nigeria.
Abdulkadir acknowledged the concerns raised by stakeholders over the Federal Government’s directive for examination bodies to fully migrate to CBT by 2026, assuring that students would not be adversely affected.
“I want to assure that no candidate sitting the 2026 WASSCE will be disenfranchised in any form,” she stated.
She also highlighted WAEC’s ongoing preparations for the transition, including training programmes where senior secondary school students practiced responding to essay questions using tablets and digital pens.
Addressing the updated Basic and Secondary School Curricula, Abdulkadir affirmed that candidates would not be limited in their subject choices. She clarified that students in the sciences are permitted to take Economics as an elective to complete their subject combinations.
Additionally, WAEC has extended the timeline for uploading Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) to ensure accurate documentation for all candidates — particularly those taking newly introduced subjects under the Federal Government’s approved list for the 2026 WASSCE for School Candidates.
The Council reiterated its commitment to ensuring a smooth and inclusive transition as it moves toward full computer-based examinations.
