The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) says no fewer than 56,000 candidates registered for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Private Candidates, Second Series.
The Head of WAEC’s National Office, Suleiman Kum, disclosed this on Saturday during an inspection of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) English Language examination in Lagos.
The inspection took place at the WAEC Training and Testing Centre on Ijaiye Road, Ogba, where candidates sat for the examination.
Kum said the registrations included about 272 walk-in candidates who registered to sit for individual subjects.
He added that Lagos State accounted for more than 22,000 candidates, including about 50 walk-in candidates.
Kum said the adoption of computer-based testing was helping to reduce examination malpractice, strengthen the credibility of examinations and promote transparency.
He said WAEC introduced CBT in 2024 and has continued to improve the process to reduce malpractice.
He added that candidates were searched before entering examination halls to prevent them from bringing in prohibited materials.
Kum advised candidates to study diligently, practise past WAEC questions and marking schemes, and read chief examiners’ reports to improve their performance.
He said the reports highlight candidates’ strengths and weaknesses and explain how questions should be answered.
The registration announcement comes amid a leadership transition at WAEC, following changes to two key positions within the council.
WAEC appointed Suleiman Kum as the new Head of its Nigeria National Office in October 2026, following the appointment of his predecessor, Amos Dangut, as the council’s Registrar and Chief Executive Officer for a five-year term.
Dangut’s appointment as Registrar and CEO took effect on October 1, 2026, for a five-year term ending in September 2031. He previously served as Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office from October 2023.
Nairametrics reported that he oversaw initiatives including computer-based WASSCE, serialised question papers and a digital electronic marking system.
