It’s 7:45 a.m. in a noisy WAEC exam hall. Generators are coughing, the invigilator is shouting “No expo!” and students are chewing biro tops like vitamins.
Suddenly, fast-forward to 2026, no paper, no answer sheets, no invigilator struggling to collect scripts. Instead, hundreds of jittery teenagers will sit in front of glowing computer screens, their future literally just one mouse-click away.
That is the Nigeria the Federal Government and the National Assembly just endorsed, a Nigeria where WAEC and NECO will go fully Computer-Based Test (CBT) by 2026. No exceptions. No excuses. This isn’t just a small reform; it’s the biggest academic shakeup since the 6-3-3-4 system.
But here’s the real deal: while government officials are celebrating this as a “giant leap for integrity and efficiency,” critics are asking the uncomfortable question; is Nigeria really ready for this digital leap, or are we just dragging rural students into a disaster they didn’t sign up for?
The Announcement That Shook Classrooms
At a recent briefing, WAEC’s Head of National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, dropped the bombshell: “By 2026, deployment will be massive. All WAEC candidates will sit for CBT—objective and essay alike.”
The National Assembly immediately backed the move, with Rep. Oboku Oforji adding a sharp warning: “WAEC must establish at least one CBT centre in each of the 774 local government areas before the 2026 deadline.”
What it means is that, every Nigerian child, from Lagos to Zamfara, must have access, or WAEC risks creating digital second-class citizens.
Why Government Says CBT Is the Only Way Forward
1. Malpractice Must Die
Expos, leaked questions, and midnight WhatsApp “runs” have turned WAEC into a circus. The FG insists CBT will finally “restore dignity and credibility” to exams.
2. Efficiency Over Chaos
No more lost scripts, delayed marking, or “my paper vanished.” With CBT, scores are automated, and marking essay sections can be streamlined.
3. Nigeria Must Catch Up
JAMB has been doing CBT since 2015. So why is WAEC still stuck in the biro-and-paper Stone Age?
The Reality Check Nobody Wants To Discuss
For every cheering government official, there are thousands of worried voices. Teachers, parents, and even some lawmakers believe 2026 is too ambitious.
The Rural Nightmare
How do you tell a child in a village with no electricity to “log in” for WAEC? Even in urban centres, stable internet is a myth.
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Digital Divide = Academic Inequality
CBT could widen the gap between the rich who have laptops and the poor who still share one cybercafé desktop for ₦200/hour.
Infrastructure Costs
774 local government CBT centres sound great in theory, but who will fund, maintain, and secure them? Or will we end up with ghost centres and broken systems?
Students Are Already Panicking
On social media, the reactions are pure drama.
One X user wrote: “So if my laptop hangs, na F9 be that?”
Another joked: “WAEC CBT? Better teach me how to click fast before teaching me quadratic equation.”
For students who grew up writing essays in longhand, typing under exam tension feels like learning to walk again, with fire on your heels.
What Lawmakers Really Want
The National Assembly is supportive, but not naïve. They’ve cautioned WAEC to phase the rollout carefully:
* Mock CBT drills across all schools before 2026.
* Full teacher training to prepare students.
* Real infrastructure—power, internet, security—before the “big switch.”
If not, this reform could collapse under its own ambition.
Progress Or Punishment?
This isn’t just about exams. It’s about class, privilege, and whether Nigeria can really balance technology with accessibility. While elites are excited their kids will write WAEC like SATs abroad, the village student is left wondering: “Will I even get the chance to sit for it at all?”
By 2026, we’ll either have a story of progress, or a scandal of exclusion.
The Countdown
The countdown has begun. By 2026, students won’t just fight with time—they’ll fight with keyboards, weak networks, and the haunting possibility of “exam crash.” But maybe, just maybe, this is the hard reset Nigeria’s education system has been waiting for.
After all, the pen may no longer be mightier than the sword, the mouse just dethroned it.
