WAEC releases 2026 WASSCE results as only 61.54 per cent secure key five credits
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that 61.54 per cent of candidates who sat the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. This left 38.46 per cent short of the benchmark.
Head of the Nigeria National Office of WAEC, Dr Amos Dangut, disclosed the figures on Wednesday at a press briefing in Yaba, Lagos, while releasing the results of the Computer-Based WASSCE. A total of 1,959,668 candidates from 24,207 schools registered for the examination held between 24 April and 19 June 2026. Of these, 1,950,726 sat the papers.
Results for 1,834,695 candidates, or 94.05 per cent, have been fully processed and released. The remaining 116,031 results, representing 5.95 per cent, are still being processed. Candidates whose results are ready and whose financial obligations have been met can access them on the WAEC portal within 12 hours and apply for digital certificates within 48 hours.
The council, however, is withholding the results of candidates sponsored by state governments that still owe outstanding payments. Dangut appealed to the defaulting states to settle their debts so that the affected schools and candidates can gain access. This administrative hold underscores a recurring structural problem: the link between state fiscal responsibility and candidates’ ability to obtain their results on time.
Performance declined by 1.42 per cent compared with the 2025 examination. Of those who met the five-credit benchmark, 558,883 were male (28.65 per cent) and 641,631 were female (32.89 per cent).
On malpractice, the results of 167,486 candidates, or 8.59 per cent of the total, have been withheld pending investigation. Cases will be considered by the Nigeria Examinations Committee. Some individuals involved in malpractice have already been apprehended, and supervisors or invigilators caught aiding the practice will face sanctions through the relevant state ministries of education.
The combination of a modest performance drop, unresolved state debts and a significant malpractice rate points to persistent pressures within the examination system. Timely release of results for most candidates is progress. Full access for all, and a sustained reduction in malpractice, will depend on both administrative discipline and the willingness of sponsoring states to meet their obligations.
