The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for school candidates, with 1,200,514 candidates, representing 61.54 per cent, obtaining credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
Announcing the results in Lagos on Wednesday, the Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Dr. Amos Josiah Dangut, said the performance represents a 1.42 percentage-point decline compared to the 2025 examination.
According to WAEC, 1,959,668 candidates from 24,207 schools across Nigeria, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea registered for the examination, while 1,950,726 candidates eventually sat for the papers. Of those who wrote the examination, 1,687,378 candidates (86.50 per cent) obtained credits and above in at least five subjects, with or without English Language and Mathematics.
Dr. Dangut disclosed that among the candidates who secured the minimum university admission benchmark of five credits, including English and Mathematics, 558,883 (28.65 per cent) were male, while 641,631 (32.89 per cent) were female. Overall, 953,459 males (48.88 per cent) and 997,267 females (51.12 per cent) sat the examination.
He also revealed that the results of 1,834,695 candidates, representing 94.05 per cent of those who sat the examination, have been fully processed and released, while the results of 116,031 candidates (5.95 per cent) are still being processed.
On examination malpractice, the WAEC chief said the results of 167,486 candidates, representing 8.59 per cent of those who sat the examination, have been withheld over alleged involvement in various forms of malpractice. He noted that the figure represents a decline from the 9.70 per cent recorded in the 2025 examination.
Dangut attributed many of the malpractice cases to the persistent use of mobile phones in examination halls despite existing prohibitions, as well as organised cheating in some schools. He added that supervisors and invigilators found to have aided examination malpractice had been apprehended and would face sanctions through the relevant State Ministries of Education.
The WAEC boss also disclosed that 1,213 candidates with special needs registered for the examination, including visually impaired, hearing-impaired, physically challenged and other candidates requiring special support. He reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to ensuring inclusive access to quality examinations.
Describing the exercise as the second computer-based WASSCE for school candidates, Dangut said the transition to computer-based examinations is part of WAEC’s efforts to strengthen the credibility, efficiency and integrity of its assessment processes.
Candidates have been advised to check their results through WAEC’s official result-checking portal using their examination details and the required PIN.
