Nigeria’s education sector faces a grave crisis as exam malpractice becomes increasingly sophisticated and entrenched. From organised digital cheating rings to compromised computer-based testing (CBT) centres, dishonest practices now permeate the system, putting merit, integrity, and the country’s workforce at risk. While cheating erodes trust in academic qualifications, the broken examination infrastructure that enables such malpractice often receives less scrutiny but poses an equally dire threat.

The Federal Government recently unveiled a bold policy imposing a three-year ban on students caught cheating. This measure, announced by Education Minister Dr. Olatunji Alausa, reflects a zero-tolerance stance. It aims to deter malpractice and restore public faith in examination outcomes. However, this punitive policy rollout coincides with a string of alarming incidents during the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), revealing deeper flaws in Nigeria’s education infrastructure.

Harsh Penalties vs Harsh Realities

While introducing harsher penalties for exam fraud is a step forward, it clashes with the reality many students face during tests. A disturbing video from the 2025 WASSCE showed students sitting for their English exam at 9:42pm—illuminated only by lanterns and phone flashlights. Power failures and scheduling breakdowns turned examination centres into chaotic environments, raising the question: how can fairness and academic integrity be expected under such conditions?

In several states, exams scheduled for 9:00am began around midday. In Lagos and Benue, students reportedly wrote papers as late as 11:45pm in pitch-dark classrooms. These delays not only disrupted exam schedules but also created conditions ripe for stress, distraction, and inequity—especially for students lacking access to better lighting or charged phones.

Sophisticated Tracking, Basic Failures

The government’s integration of the National Identification Number (NIN) system across all exam bodies ensures better tracking and enforcement of penalties. This digital innovation makes it harder for offenders to escape consequences. However, this technological coordination sharply contrasts with basic logistical failures. Electricity outages, missing exam officers, and overcrowded classrooms highlight administrative negligence that no amount of policy sophistication can compensate for.

While the state promises to crack down on so-called “miracle centres” and cheating hubs, it fails to address infrastructural neglect that disadvantages honest candidates. Enforcing discipline without ensuring a fair testing environment ultimately punishes the wrong people.

Budget Boost, Accountability Shortfall

The 2025 education budget nearly doubled—from ₦1.79 trillion in 2024 to ₦3.52 trillion. At first glance, this increase suggests a renewed commitment to education. However, it still accounts for only 7.3% of the national budget, falling far below the UNESCO-recommended minimum of 15%. Despite the dramatic rise in allocation, the basic conditions in schools—such as reliable electricity, adequate seating, and working restrooms—remain largely unchanged.

The persistent neglect of physical infrastructure calls into question how the increased funds are being used. Power supply failures during exams should not happen in a system with access to over ₦3 trillion. Unless there is transparency and efficient implementation, budget hikes alone will not yield meaningful improvements.

Laws Exist, Enforcement Is Selective

The Examination Malpractices Act of 1999, alongside the JAMB Act, provides a strong legal basis to punish cheating. Offenders can face jail terms of up to three years, fines of ₦100,000, or both. Educators involved in malpractice can be jailed for four years without the option of a fine.

Yet enforcement remains selective and slow. Corruption and weak oversight continue to plague Nigeria’s examination institutions. Meanwhile, the law says nothing about the government’s obligation to provide conducive exam environments—leaving students to fend for themselves under poor conditions, even as they’re held to the highest ethical standards.

Public Outrage and Institutional Response

The 2025 WASSCE disaster triggered national backlash. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the situation as a “national disgrace.” The Ministry of Education condemned the incidents as “totally unacceptable” and pledged investigations only after widespread outrage. Yet students in schools like Unity Secondary School in Delta State sat for exams under torchlight, a stark image of institutional failure.

Such images damage Nigeria’s global educational reputation. While policies seek to enhance credibility, the conditions under which students write their exams send the opposite message internationally.

Budget Increases Must Match Delivery

A budget of ₦3.52 trillion should easily fund solar backups, standby generators, improved testing centres, and better administrative logistics. But Nigeria continues to struggle with implementation. Power outages during national exams reflect more than technical glitches—they show a broken system lacking accountability and foresight.

This mismatch between funding and results reveals chronic inefficiency. If funds are not monitored and projects are not delivered, the system will continue to fail regardless of how much money is allocated.

Equity and Unintended Consequences

The punitive measures carry long-term consequences. A three-year ban during crucial developmental years could derail young people’s futures, pushing them into informal sectors or criminal paths. Similarly, writing exams in darkness creates unfair advantages for students with better phones or backup devices—exacerbating inequalities.

Those from disadvantaged backgrounds face a double burden: poor learning conditions and harsh penalties for lapses they may not be responsible for. A truly fair education system must consider both sides of this injustice.

Reforms Must Include Infrastructure, Not Just Punishment

The government’s fight against cheating aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at restoring institutional credibility. However, that credibility also hinges on system reliability. Merit cannot flourish in environments where even basic exam logistics fail.

Comprehensive reform must address both deliberate cheating and systemic neglect. Otherwise, merit itself becomes a casualty of the broken system it was meant to uphold.

A Call for Diversified and Accountable Funding

Beyond government allocations, sustainable education reform requires alternative funding models. Public-private partnerships, grants from global organisations, and philanthropic contributions can bridge funding gaps. Institutions like UNICEF and the Global Partnership for Education already support Nigeria’s education sector. More targeted partnerships could accelerate improvements in infrastructure and delivery.

However, the biggest issue remains resource management. Without transparency and accountability, new funds will simply follow the same path of waste and inefficiency. Oversight agencies must implement real-time monitoring, publish disbursement reports, and audit expenditures to ensure every naira counts.

Empowering Communities and Restoring Trust

Community involvement also plays a vital role. Parents, students, and teachers should be empowered not just to report malpractice, but also to demand better conditions. Civil society must hold exam bodies and government ministries accountable for creating safe, equitable, and dignified environments for learning and assessment.

Exam bodies like WAEC, which apologised for the recent fiasco, must follow up with visible reforms—not just words. Policy announcements mean little without real outcomes.

Conclusion: Balance Justice with Infrastructure

The government’s strong stance on exam malpractice reflects a well-intentioned effort to uphold academic standards. But punishing students while ignoring broken infrastructure is not only unjust—it is counterproductive. Success lies in a dual approach: strict enforcement of ethical conduct, and equal investment in the systems that enable fairness.

Budget increases must translate into better exam halls, electricity supply, scheduling, and administrative capacity. Only then will policies like the three-year ban carry legitimacy—and only then can Nigeria begin to build an education system that rewards merit, uplifts students, and prepares a credible, competent workforce for the future.