The controversy surrounding the 2026 West African Examinations Council (WAEC) results for school candidates has intensified following allegations of technical glitches and irregularities by an official of the examination body.
Olanrewaju Fadehan, Head of Examinations at the WAEC office covering Anambra, made the allegations in a video that has since circulated widely online.
According to Fadehan, candidates who took the Computer-Based Test (CBT) version of the examination were among those most affected by the alleged problems.
He claimed the issues became apparent around the time the results were released. Fadehan said the results had initially been expected between August 3 and 5, 2026, noting that WAEC had traditionally announced its results on Mondays.
He said, “Obviously, there was a problem because the press was eagerly waiting on Monday, the scheduled date. There was a need to quickly do some last-minute adjustments. Something was wrong.”
CBT Candidates Allegedly Affected
Fadehan alleged that the last-minute changes had consequences for candidates who participated in the computer-based examination, particularly in subjects such as Mathematics, English and Igbo.
He also questioned reports of weak performances by some candidates from the South-East in Igbo, despite the language being widely spoken across the region.
The WAEC official further claimed that schools that invested substantially in CBT infrastructure were negatively affected by the situation.
According to him, some schools reportedly spent more than N60m to establish computer-based examination facilities in preparation for WAEC’s transition to CBT.
“The call for a review this year is particularly disturbing, as it is alarming. Schools that subscribed to the CBT innovation of WAEC were badly hit. Some of them spent upwards of N60m and above to set up their CBT facilities,” he alleged.
Official Raises Calculator Concerns
Fadehan also alleged that some candidates did not receive appropriate calculators during the examination.
He claimed the issue may have contributed to poor performances in Mathematics and other subjects requiring calculations.
The official said he had previously raised concerns about the alleged irregularities during the examination period.
He added that he subsequently petitioned several authorities, including the WAEC Board, the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examining Bodies, as well as the Minister of Education.
Fadehan alleged that his complaints were not properly addressed and that he instead faced disciplinary proceedings before being placed on interdiction.
“I call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to investigate the cause of failure of candidates, particularly those who chose the computer-based WAEC,” he said.
Financial Allegations Against WAEC Management
Beyond the examination results, Fadehan also levelled allegations of financial impropriety against the management of WAEC.
His claims reportedly covered areas including the supply of calculators, students’ identification cards and various charges imposed on candidates and other individuals seeking services from the examination body.
He called on the Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders to investigate the allegations, stressing that maintaining the credibility of Nigeria’s examination system is crucial to the future of students.
WAEC Declines Immediate Response
When contacted on Thursday for a response to the allegations, WAEC Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, declined to comment.
“No comment for now,” she said.
The latest allegations come amid increasing scrutiny of the 2026 WASSCE results for school candidates.
The PUNCH reported on August 18 that school administrators and education advocates had raised concerns about the integrity of the results, including alleged grading inconsistencies and technical problems associated with the wider introduction of Computer-Based Testing.
The concerns reportedly followed complaints from some school administrators and education advocates who said certain high-performing students received grades that appeared inconsistent with their previous academic records and performances in other standardised assessments.
The allegations have consequently increased calls for greater transparency and clarification over the processes used to assess and release the 2026 WAEC results.
