Secondary schools across Nigeria may have to spend about N1.6 trillion on computers to meet the new West African Examinations Council (WAEC) requirement for hosting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
WAEC has directed that from 2025, every approved exam centre must have at least 250 functional computers, a server, local area network, CCTV cameras, and other ICT facilities before they can qualify as a Computer-Based Testing (CBT) centre.
The council explained that the policy is part of its full migration to CBT for all candidates. Schools unable to meet the requirements will have their students assigned to external centres.
According to reports obtained by The News Chronicle, a fairly used desktop computer at Computer Village in Lagos costs between N250,000 and N300,000.
This means schools would spend about N68 million on 250 computers alone, excluding additional infrastructure.
With 23,554 approved WASSCE centres in Nigeria, the total cost of compliance could reach N1.6 trillion if no school already has the facilities.
Concerns from stakeholders, teachers and education experts fear that many schools, especially in rural areas, will be left behind.
Isaiah Ogundele, an education administrator, argued that the transition is rushed, “Even 100 schools may not meet the requirements. Government schools should have been equipped first. Rural students walk long distances to school expecting them to take CBT exams soon is not realistic.”
Stakeholders also question why Nigeria is rushing into full CBT exams when even England, a more digitally advanced country, is only planning partial adoption by 2030.
Currently, UK students still write exams like the GCSEs on paper. The awarding body AQA plans to digitise only some parts of foreign language exams by 2026, while retaining paper-based options.
Digital access in Nigerian schools is still very low. The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) says half of public schools lack ICT facilities, and only 36% of Nigerians use the internet. About 78% of young people lack digital literacy skills.
Experts say WAEC should adopt a more flexible approach, similar to JAMB’s UTME system, where students from schools without facilities take exams in designated CBT centres.
Others suggest cost-sharing between WAEC and schools to reduce the burden and ensure fairness.
