By Ayodele Quadri, Lagos Times Correspondent
LAGOS, NIGERIA — The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld the results of 167,486 candidates who sat for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates over alleged cases of examination malpractice.
Announcing the official release of the 2026 WASSCE results on Wednesday at the WAEC National Office in Yaba, Lagos, the Head of the National Office (HNO), Dr. Amos Dangut, disclosed that the withheld results account for 8.59% of the total candidate turnout.
While significant, the percentage of withheld results reflects a slight improvement compared to the 9.7% recorded during the 2025 examination diet.
Key Highlights & Infractions
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Primary Infractions: The council cited the persistent smuggling and use of mobile phones inside examination halls—despite strict prohibition—alongside organized collusion and cheating in select centers.
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Apprehension of Officials: Several supervisors and invigilators implicated in aiding candidates were arrested and will face administrative and disciplinary sanctions through their respective State Ministries of Education.
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Registration vs. Sitters: A total of 1,959,668 candidates from 24,207 recognized secondary schools registered across Nigeria, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, and Equatorial Guinea, out of which 1,950,726 candidates eventually sat for the examination.
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General Performance:
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1,200,514 candidates (61.54%) secured credit passes and above in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
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1,687,378 candidates (86.50%) obtained credit passes in a minimum of five subjects, with or without English Language and Mathematics.
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Overall performance in English and Mathematics dropped by 1.42 percentage points compared to 2025 performance metrics.
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┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 2026 WASSCE RESULT MATRIX & METRICS │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Total Registered : 1,959,668 Candidates │
│ • Total Sat : 1,950,726 Candidates │
│ │
│ • Withheld Results : 167,486 Candidates (8.59% of total sitters) │
│ • Primary Reasons : Unauthorized mobile phone usage & collusive │
│ center-based malpractice │
│ │
│ • 5+ Credits incl. : 1,200,514 Candidates (61.54%) │
│ Maths & English │
│ • 5+ Credits w/o : 1,687,378 Candidates (86.50%) │
│ Maths & English │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
(Sources: TVC News Report, Leadership Newspaper Coverage, and Punch Newspapers Report)
“Cell Phones and Organized Cheating Remain Nagging Issues”
Speaking on the challenges encountered during the examination diet, Head of the WAEC Nigeria National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, stated:
“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… The council will continue to sanction examination malpractice, no matter whose ox is gored.” — Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC Nigeria National Office
Next Steps for Candidates with Withheld Results
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Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC) Review: The cases of all affected candidates and institutions will be presented to the Nigeria Examinations Committee—WAEC’s highest decision-making organ on examination-related matters.
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Investigation & Final Outcome: Following investigation, exonerated candidates will have their withheld results released online, while established cases of malpractice will lead to the cancellation of affected subject or entire results.
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Tracking & Appeals: Affected candidates can monitor updates and submit formal representations for council consideration through the official WAEC Complaints & Malpractice Portal.
