In a series of unsettling developments, videos have emerged from various Nigerian states including Delta, Taraba, Ogun, and Katsina showing secondary school students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) late into the night. What was once considered unimaginable has become a disturbing new normal in some communities.
These midnight examinations, often conducted under dim lighting and in less-than-ideal environments, point to an education system grappling with structural, administrative, and ethical breakdowns.
Historically, national exams such as WAEC are held during the day under standardized conditions that safeguard the credibility and security of the process. However, in recent months, numerous social media videos and eyewitness reports have documented students in remote or underserved regions writing these critical exams as late as 11:00 p.m. or even midnight. The reasons vary. Some schools cite scheduling bottlenecks, overcrowding, and logistical delays.
Others allege that night exams are deliberately planned to facilitate examination malpractice away from the scrutiny of WAEC officials or external observers. In certain cases, power outages and lack of available supervisors during the day have been used as justifications. Whatever the reason, this practice contravenes the principles of fairness, equity, and integrity that the educational system must uphold.
Cheating in national exams has long plagued Nigeria’s education sector. WAEC itself has decried the rising tide of impersonation, leaked papers, and “miracle centers,” illegal exam halls where candidates receive assistance during exams. In some of the states where night exams have occurred, officials have faced allegations of organizing special night sessions to give certain students unfair advantages. In Delta State, for instance, WAEC and NECO papers were reported leaked in previous years, triggering internal investigations and nationwide concern.
In Taraba, the issue was even more brazen: education officials were caught replacing candidates’ passport photographs in order to allow impostors to write exams on their behalf. These practices not only compromise the credibility of results but also reflect a moral decay that undermines national development.
A major driver of the midnight exam phenomenon is the widespread lack of functional educational infrastructure. In many rural or underfunded schools, there are not enough classrooms or halls to accommodate all registered candidates simultaneously. This forces school authorities to stagger exam times even if it means conducting sessions at night. In Ogun State, the problem took a different form. A WAEC technical glitch led to the withholding of hundreds of students’ results, underscoring the deep technological and administrative challenges in managing national exams efficiently. These gaps diminish students’ confidence in the system and discourage academic integrity.
To its credit, Katsina has made notable efforts to support students. The state government recently introduced free extra lessons for SS3 students to boost exam readiness. It also subsidized WAEC and NECO registration fees for thousands of indigent students. While these efforts are commendable, they must be matched with tighter regulation and enforcement to avoid abuses and ensure that students genuinely benefit.
Taraba announced free primary and secondary education, a bold and commendable policy. However, its implementation has been inconsistent. Some students were reportedly denied access to WAEC and NECO despite the free education policy, with school administrators demanding unofficial fees. The gap between policy and practice remains a critical concern that undermines the government’s credibility.
To address the root causes of this crisis, stakeholders must implement a multipronged strategy. WAEC, NECO, and the Ministry of Education must enhance security measures such as biometric verification and surveillance technologies to curb malpractice. Punitive sanctions should be imposed on both students and school officials found complicit in cheating or unethical practices.
Government at all levels must prioritize educational infrastructure. This includes building more classrooms, providing uninterrupted electricity, improving ICT access, and ensuring adequate staffing. Without this, no amount of policy reform will succeed.
Parents, civil society, religious leaders, and student unions must be involved in the reform process. Grassroots advocacy can help enforce accountability and sustain awareness about the importance of educational integrity.
States and federal bodies should establish independent monitoring committees to oversee the implementation of education-related policies, especially in rural and underserved areas. Transparent reporting will ensure that challenges are quickly identified and addressed.
The disturbing trend of midnight WASSCE exams is not merely an operational anomaly; it is a warning sign of deeper dysfunctions within Nigeria’s education system. From malpractice to infrastructural failure, from administrative inconsistency to policy neglect, the roots of the problem are many and intertwined.
Solving this crisis requires more than reactive interventions. It demands a holistic, inclusive, and sustained effort by government, educators, parents, and the broader society. Only then can Nigeria reclaim the integrity of its examination system and provide its young citizens with the quality education they deserve.
