National lawmakers investigating the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over widespread irregularities and operational failures in the 2025 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) have firmly instructed the council not to introduce computer-based testing (CBT) in 2026. The decision came during a legislative hearing where WAEC Nigeria’s head, Amos Dangut, was grilled by committee members over the feasibility of implementing CBT nationwide for secondary school students.

One of the lawmakers, Abia Nte, voiced strong reservations about the council’s preparedness to adopt the CBT model. He emphasized the lack of critical infrastructure in many schools across the country, particularly in rural areas, and called for a national summit on education before such a significant transition is considered. “CBT? No, sir,” Nte said, insisting that statistics on secondary schools with computer facilities were unavailable and that many local government areas lacked basic digital infrastructure necessary for CBT exams.

The committee reiterated that Nigeria is not yet ready for the digital examination format. Their position is backed by data from the Universal Basic Education Commission, which reveals that over 50 percent of public secondary schools in Nigeria lack access to digital facilities. While private and urban schools fare better, the overall digital divide remains stark, with only 36 percent of the population using the internet and a staggering 78 percent of youths lacking digital literacy skills. Ongoing government initiatives like the Nigeria Learning Passport aim to bridge this gap, but lawmakers argue the groundwork is still far from complete.

In comparison, countries with more advanced educational infrastructure are only beginning to experiment with digital examinations. In the UK, for example, students still take their GCSEs using traditional paper methods. However, the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is exploring a gradual shift, with plans to digitize parts of exams in specific subjects like Italian and Polish by 2026. Lawmakers in Nigeria contend that such cautious and phased approaches should serve as a model, warning that rushing into CBT could further expose systemic weaknesses in the country’s education sector.