WAEC

WAEC 2026 Updates: Everything Nigerian Students Need to Know Right Now

NLTC Team · 10 June 2026 · 9 min read

The 2026 WASSCE is in its final stretch — ending June 19. From exam disruptions and the CBT rollout to when results will be released and what candidates should do next, here is your complete WAEC 2026 update.

Introduction

The 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is in its final nine days. With the examination scheduled to end on Friday, June 19, 2026, hundreds of thousands of Nigerian candidates are completing their papers while millions of parents and stakeholders monitor developments closely. This has been one of the most eventful WAEC seasons in recent memory — marked by the historic expansion of Computer-Based Testing, exam disruptions caused by a tragic accident, security challenges, and strong assurances from WAEC leadership that 2026 will not repeat the controversies of 2025. Here is your complete, up-to-date WAEC 2026 update as of June 10, 2026.

UPDATE 1: The 2026 WASSCE Is Still Ongoing — Ends June 19

The 2026 May/June WASSCE for school candidates began on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, and is scheduled to end on Friday, June 19, 2026. As of today, June 10, candidates are still sitting papers — including today's English Language examination, which holds on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.

A total of 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools registered for the 2026 WASSCE. Of these, 958,564 are male (48.92 percent) and 1,001,072 are female (51.08 percent) — meaning female candidates outnumber males for the second consecutive year. The examination covers Nigeria and the other four WAEC member countries: Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia.

Key remaining papers in the final stretch include:

Candidates still writing their remaining papers should note that banned items include mobile phones, smartwatches, and any electronic or suspicious gadgets. Where the duration printed on the question paper differs from the timetable, the duration on the question paper takes precedence.

UPDATE 2: WAEC Explains Exam Disruptions — A Fatal Accident and Security Challenges

The 2026 WASSCE has not been entirely smooth. WAEC has officially explained a series of disruptions recorded during the examination, attributing them to a combination of security, logistical, and operational challenges.

Most significantly, WAEC confirmed that a fatal road accident on June 3, 2026 claimed the lives of three WAEC officials who were transporting sensitive examination materials. The accident significantly affected distribution schedules for some papers — including Mathematics and Agricultural Science — in certain examination centres, causing delays in those locations.

Beyond the accident, WAEC cited security-related disruptions and logistical constraints that affected the smooth conduct of the examination in some parts of the country. The council expressed deep condolences to the families of the officials who lost their lives and reiterated its commitment to ensuring the integrity and smooth administration of the examination despite the challenges. WAEC assured candidates and stakeholders that measures are being strengthened to address these issues and prevent recurrence in future examinations.

Candidates who were affected by disruptions at their examination centres should contact their school's examination officer or the nearest WAEC state office for guidance on how their specific situation will be handled.

UPDATE 3: Historic CBT Expansion — 450 Schools Now on Computer-Based WASSCE

One of the biggest stories of the 2026 WASSCE is the dramatic expansion of the Computer-Based WASSCE (CB-WASSCE). In 2025, fewer than 40 schools participated in CBT mode. For 2026, that number has jumped to approximately 450 schools nationwide — a more than tenfold increase in a single year.

Speaking at a press briefing in Yaba, Lagos, the Head of WAEC's Nigeria National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, described the rollout as a significant step forward and said the council had recorded empirically better candidate performance in CBT compared to the traditional paper-and-pencil format. He also confirmed that digital certificates would be available online within 24 hours after the release of results, while physical certificates would be printed and issued to schools within 90 days of results release.

The CBT expansion did not come without controversy. The Nigerian House of Representatives had passed a resolution calling for the suspension of CBT for WASSCE until 2030, citing the risk of massive failure among students in rural areas where computer literacy, internet access, reliable power, and ICT-trained teachers remain scarce. Despite this, WAEC firmly proceeded with the 2026 CBT rollout, stating that it had not received any formal legal or ministerial directive to suspend the programme. The Ministry of Education also did not issue a counter-directive. The result is that 2026 marks the most ambitious CBT deployment in WASSCE history — with both its achievements and its tensions now part of the public record.

UPDATE 4: WAEC's Assurance — No Repeat of the 2025 Result Crisis

Many students, parents, and educators entered the 2026 WASSCE season with anxiety rooted in what happened in 2025. The 2025 WASSCE results were temporarily withdrawn by WAEC following the discovery of technical issues linked to a paper serialisation system introduced to curb malpractice. The withdrawal caused widespread panic and confusion and badly damaged public confidence in the examination body.

WAEC's leadership has given strong assurances that this will not happen again. Dr. Dangut stated directly at the pre-examination briefing: "We have learnt from our glitches. We have perfected everything, and I speak authoritatively that we will not have a repeat of that glitch. It will not happen again in terms of result release issues or any form of disruption. We have taken corrective measures."

He confirmed that all identified technical issues from 2025 have been resolved and that new, stricter safeguards have been introduced for the 2026 examination and result processing cycle. WAEC also highlighted several new digital tools now in operation, including the WAEC Digital Certificate platform, WAEC Verify for certificate authentication, an Examination Malpractice Portal, the WAEC E-Study Portal for candidates, and a chatbot service to support candidates and institutions seeking information.

Additionally, WAEC confirmed that the National Identification Number (NIN) has now been integrated into the WASSCE registration process — strengthening candidate identity verification and reducing the risk of impersonation and other forms of examination fraud.

UPDATE 5: When Will 2026 WAEC Results Be Released?

This is the question every candidate and parent is asking. The answer, based on WAEC's own stated policy, is early August 2026.

WAEC has a firm policy of releasing WASSCE results within 45 days of the final examination paper. The last paper for the 2026 WASSCE is scheduled for June 19, 2026. Counting 45 days forward from June 19 puts the earliest possible result release date at approximately August 3, 2026. The first two weeks of August 2026 represent the most realistic window for result release, based on WAEC's stated timeline and the precedent set by 2025, when results were released on August 4.

It is important to note that this is a projected window based on WAEC's stated policy — it is not a confirmed date. Results could come slightly earlier or later depending on how quickly marking, moderation, and quality assurance processes are completed. WAEC has not yet announced a specific date for the release of 2026 WASSCE results.

Candidates and parents should monitor the official WAEC portal at waecdirect.org and WAEC Nigeria's official X handle @waecnigeria for the official result release announcement. Do not trust unverified social media claims about result release dates.

UPDATE 6: The 2026 GCE First Series Results Are Already Out

While the school candidates' WASSCE is still ongoing, it is worth noting that WAEC has already released the results of the 2026 First Series GCE for private candidates. The First Series GCE was conducted between January 28 and February 14, 2026, with marking held between February 26 and March 13 at centres in Lagos, Enugu, and Kaduna. WAEC officially released those results on March 27, 2026 — approximately 41 days after the last paper, slightly ahead of the 45-day target.

Private candidates who sat for the First Series GCE and are yet to check their results can do so at waecdirect.org.

What 2026 WASSCE Candidates Should Be Doing Right Now

If you are currently sitting the 2026 WASSCE, the examination is almost over. Here is how to make the most of the final days:

What Parents Should Know About the 2026 WAEC Season

For parents of students currently sitting the 2026 WASSCE, here is a summary of the most important things to understand:

Conclusion

The 2026 WASSCE is almost done. Despite the disruptions — including the heartbreaking loss of three WAEC officials in a road accident — the examination has largely proceeded, and close to two million Nigerian candidates are days away from completing one of the most important examinations of their lives. The results will come in early August. What comes after that — JAMB preparation, POST-UTME, and the admission process — is where the next chapter begins.

At Next Level Tutorial College (NLTC), we are here for every student at every stage — whether you are finishing WAEC right now, waiting for your results, or already preparing for the next JAMB examination. Reach out to us today and let us help you take your academics to the next level.