When the Federal Government announced that by 2026, all candidates taking the WAEC and NECO examinations would have to do so through Computer-Based Testing (CBT), many Nigerians welcomed the idea. After all, digital transformation is a global trend, and education should not be left behind.
However, scratch the surface, and a different story begins to unfold—a story of hasty planning, inadequate infrastructure, digital inequality, and a looming risk of deepening the already vast educational divide between urban and rural students.
The directive, issued by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, is bold. From November 2024, WAEC and NECO will begin administering objective papers via Computer-Based Testing (CBT), with full adoption, covering both essay and objective components, slated for May/June 2026. However, experts are warning: Nigeria is not ready.
“It is a great idea, but we are not ready,” said Dr Dideolu Adekogbe, Lead Consultant at Florish-Gate Global Consult. “How many of our schools are computer-based? You are referring to millions of students taking examinations across nine subjects. Some children in rural communities have never even seen a computer.”
In towns and cities, many students are already familiar with CBT through JAMB, but venture just a few kilometres into rural Nigeria, and the realities become painfully obvious. Public schools in remote areas lack basic infrastructure, let alone functional computer labs. Electricity supply is erratic, internet access is weak or non-existent, and digital literacy is alarmingly low.
Adeolu Ogunbanjo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), described the timeline as “too tight” and “unrealistic.”
“We cannot have a situation where students write examinations with torches or lanterns. That would be embarrassing for a regional body like WAEC,” he warned. Ogunbanjo recommended at least one dedicated CBT centre in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas as a minimum requirement. Even that, he said, would take more time and planning than the current 2026 deadline allows.
Beyond infrastructure, stakeholders worry about widening inequality. “For a student in a remote village, getting to a CBT centre might cost up to N2,000 per examination day,” said former NAPS president, Mr Ijaduoye Olasukanmi. “Multiply that by the number of papers and add feeding and lodging if they have to stay over. How is a low-income family supposed to afford that?”
This, experts argue, will further marginalise students from already disadvantaged communities, deepening the gap between the urban privileged and the rural poor.
CBT, if introduced without a proper support structure, may inadvertently shut out thousands of children from participating in national examinations, simply because they lack access to digital tools.
While CBT brings speed and efficiency, the format may compromise academic depth and rigour. “CBT promotes a shortcut mentality. It does not always encourage critical thinking or in-depth study. Many students might guess answers rather than understand concepts,” Olasukanmi argued.
Dr Layo Adeniyi, an educationist and author, agrees, but with a caveat. “If implemented with the right digital training from primary school, CBT can stimulate interest in technology. However, the government must start early. Embed computer studies in the curriculum and train teachers too.”
Experts say Nigeria needs a three-pronged strategy—infrastructure, training, and time.
In the short term, the government must map out underserved areas and begin building CBT centres, prioritising local government headquarters. There is a need to partner with the private sector to install solar-powered backup systems to address the challenges of electricity supply. Simultaneously, digital training for teachers and students should commence in selected pilot schools across the country.
In the medium term, investment in ICT infrastructure must be scaled up across all public secondary schools. This should be matched with a reviewed curriculum that includes practical digital skills from the primary level. Every school should have at least one functional computer lab with reliable internet access.
In the long term, CBT must be integrated into regular school assessments to normalise its use before national examinations. There must also be institutionalised upgrades and maintenance of ICT facilities, as well as a nationwide policy for digital inclusion, to ensure that no child, regardless of their location, is left behind.
Education watchers are not new to rushed reforms. From the failed e-learning TV platforms to unutilised digital classrooms in some states, Nigeria has a history of launching ambitious ideas without proper groundwork. Experts fear that this CBT reform may be another well-meaning policy that falls flat.
There is no doubt that CBT is the future. Nevertheless, the 2026 deadline looks more like a sprint in a marathon race. A well-paced, well-funded, and inclusive rollout will not only ensure success but also protect Nigeria’s most vulnerable students from being pushed out of the system.
As Dr Adekogbe puts it, “This reform is not bad. It is just coming too fast.”
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