FG to Adopt Private CBT Centres for Future SSCE Exams

The federal government has announced plans to transition the conduct of school-based Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) to private and publicly-owned Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres by 2026.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, made this known during an inspection of a pilot CBT SSCE exercise organised by the National Examinations Council (NECO) at Sascon International School in Maitama, Abuja.

Alausa commended NECO for the smooth execution of the CBT pilot and disclosed that future SSCEs would no longer be conducted within schools but at designated CBT centres nationwide.

“WAEC and NECO exams are currently school-based and conducted within school premises. However, we’re shifting away from that model,” the minister said. “Like JAMB, SSCE exams will now be conducted at CBT centres. We already have thousands of such centres across the country.”

He explained that this shift isn’t due to a lack of facilities in schools but part of a broader strategy to maximize the use of existing CBT infrastructure and stimulate economic activity.

“We have the manpower and facilities. These CBT centres, many of which are privately owned, have seen substantial investment. By using them for SSCEs, we are not only improving exam integrity but also expanding the value chain in our economy,” Alausa added.

He noted that the transition would boost employment opportunities and foster local innovation in software and hardware development.

The minister further praised NECO’s readiness for the full adoption of CBT and highlighted the successful pilot as a testament to the agency’s commitment and capacity for reform.

“When we decided to move NECO to CBT, many thought it was impossible. Today, I’m proud to say NECO has successfully moved from paper-based to CBT. By November, objective papers for both NECO and WAEC will go fully CBT. By next year, both essays and objectives will follow suit. NECO and WAEC will join JAMB in a fully digital examination era,” he affirmed.

NECO Registrar, Professor Ibrahim Wushishi, expressed confidence in the council’s ability to conduct exams using CBT, despite infrastructure limitations.

“NECO is well-prepared to deliver CBT-based exams. While there are infrastructure challenges, we won’t let that hinder progress. The available facilities give us enough room to begin, and we are ready,” Wushishi stated.

He urged state governments to invest in expanding CBT infrastructure, which he said would support the new examination approach.

Wushishi also revealed that a record 1,367,210 candidates registered for the 2025 SSCE. Of these, 685,551 are male, while 681,300 are female. He noted that Kano State recorded the highest number of registered candidates—over 137,000—while Kebbi had the lowest, just above 5,000. The Nigerian International School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had the least number of registered candidates, with only eight students.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), Senator Samson Ekong, pledged the National Assembly’s support for a smooth transition to CBT-based SSCEs across the country.

-Ajayi Ifeoluwa