The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had announced in April that both examination bodies must begin implementing CBT for objective papers by November 2024, with a full rollout—covering both objective and essay components—by May/June 2026. The move is aimed at modernising Nigeria’s examination process, improving integrity, and aligning with global assessment trends.
However, education advocates argue that the groundwork necessary to support such a transition is far from being laid.
Haruna Danjuma, the National President of the Parents-Teachers Association of Nigeria (PTAN), described the 2026 target as "unrealistic and impractical" without immediate and widespread infrastructural investment. In an interview with The PUNCH, Danjuma stressed that most senior secondary schools across Nigeria, especially in rural areas, lack the basic resources required to support computer-based testing.
“It can only be practicable if the 36 state governors and the FCT Minister provide all senior secondary schools with functional computer laboratories powered by solar energy. They must also provide computer instructors and teachers to train the students,” Danjuma explained. “Over 70 per cent of students—especially those in rural areas—are not computer literate.”
Beyond hardware, Danjuma warned that the digital divide between urban and rural schools could further entrench inequality if the transition is not handled carefully. Without equitable access to training and resources, students from underserved communities risk being left behind, thereby undermining the fairness and credibility of national examinations.
Echoing similar concerns, Nnamdi Ochi, Secretary of the Education Rights Committee at the University of Ibadan, called the mandate “another instance of motion without movement.” In a public statement, he pointed out that while CBT can enhance the conduct of public examinations, the education sector is currently ill-equipped to handle such a systemic overhaul.
“Many public secondary schools lack classrooms—students are still studying under trees and in dilapidated structures without any learning facilities or equipment,” Ochi stated. He pointed to the experience of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which adopted CBT more than a decade ago but continues to rely on private computer centres, often resulting in technical glitches and logistical challenges.
According to Ochi, without a robust strategy and sincere government commitment to revitalising public education, the CBT transition for WAEC and NECO risks becoming another failed initiative. “The necessary facilities must be put in place. This cannot be done through empty proclamations,” he said.
Both Danjuma and Ochi called for a more inclusive and pragmatic approach, urging the government to involve key stakeholders—including students, parents, teachers, and education unions—in the planning and implementation process. They also advocated for increased public funding to improve digital literacy and basic infrastructure in secondary schools nationwide.
While there is consensus on the potential benefits of CBT in modernising Nigeria’s examination systems, experts agree that success will depend not on mandates alone, but on meaningful investment and collaboration across all levels of government and civil society.