NECO CBT revolution dealing fresh blow to exam malpractice — Education minister

Nigeria's Federal Government announced that the National Examinations Council (NECO) Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the Senior School Certificate Examination is effectively curbing examination malpractice. Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, monitored the ongoing examination in Abuja and reported smooth conduct with positive feedback from candidates.

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I spoke with many of the students, and most of them said they preferred the CBT examination. They also confirmed that they had not seen the examination questions before the test and that each candidate answered a different set of questions randomly.

Ahmad described the CBT as a major milestone in restoring credibility to public examinations. Candidates widely accepted the new format, noting its ease of use, transparency, and efficiency compared to traditional paper-based tests. They confirmed that examinations started on schedule without technical issues and that the randomisation of questions prevented collusion and cheating.

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The CBT makes communication between candidates impossible and is one of the most effective ways of tackling examination malpractice.

"The CBT makes communication between candidates impossible and is one of the most effective ways of tackling examination malpractice," Ahmad stated. She assured that a full nationwide transition to CBT would only occur after ensuring adequate infrastructure is available, preventing any student from being disadvantaged. The government is collaborating with various stakeholders to expand the necessary facilities.

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We will not begin the full transition until everything is in place because we do not want to put any student at a disadvantage.

NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, confirmed the absence of technical challenges during the examination, calling it one of the smoothest in the council's history. A total of 1,378,048 candidates registered for the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination, with slightly more female candidates than male, reflecting government efforts to promote girl-child education.

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They assured me that since the commencement of this year’s examination, there has been no technical glitch. The examinations started on time, with no hiccups, network failures or operational challenges.