The Federal Government has directed the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to commence the use of computer-based testing (CBT) for the objective sections of their examinations starting November this year.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, announced this on Monday while monitoring the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) headquarters in Abuja.

According to Dr. Alausa, the move to CBT aims to curb examination malpractice and promote a culture of genuine academic excellence among students. He further disclosed that full migration to CBT — covering both objective and essay components — is targeted for the May/June 2026 examination cycle.

“We are determined to eliminate examination malpractices by ensuring all exams, including practical and essay papers, migrate to CBT. If JAMB can successfully administer CBT exams for over 2.2 million candidates, then WAEC and NECO can also do it,” Dr. Alausa said.

The Minister expressed confidence that the two examination bodies would rise to the challenge, noting that both WAEC and NECO conduct examinations for fewer candidates compared to JAMB’s annual figures.

Speaking on the conduct of the 2025 UTME, Dr. Alausa commended JAMB for maintaining what he described as internationally benchmarked standards, highlighting that the process was foolproof against cheating and conducted with utmost integrity.

“I must tell you, I am extremely impressed. JAMB’s operations meet international benchmarks for examination conduct. This proves we can run credible exams here in Nigeria, reinforcing our commitment to human capital development,” he said.

Dr. Alausa also revealed that a committee comprising education experts has been constituted to monitor and further enhance the quality of examinations across the country. He noted that the committee’s recommendations are expected to be submitted by the end of next month.

The Minister’s remarks come amid ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s education system and restoring credibility to national examinations.