- WAEC withheld the results of 167,486 candidates from the 2026 WASSCE over alleged examination malpractice
- The figure represents 8.59% of nearly 2 million candidates who sat the exam, down from 9.7% recorded in 2025
- WAEC’s Head of Nigeria National Office said mobile phone use in halls and organised cheating in schools were key reasons
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has withheld the results of 167,486 candidates who sat the 2026 Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, citing widespread examination malpractice.
The Head of the WAEC Nigeria National Office, Dr Amos Dangut, made the announcement on Wednesday in Lagos during the official release of the results. The figure accounts for 8.59 per cent of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination, though it marks a drop from the 9.7 per cent recorded in 2025.
Photo Credit: @waecnigeria
Source: Twitter
Dangut said the use of mobile phones in examination halls, despite a standing ban, and organised cheating in certain schools were among the chief reasons behind the withheld results. He added that some supervisors and invigilators caught assisting candidates had been arrested and would face disciplinary measures through the relevant state ministries of education.
What “withheld” actually means
A withheld result is not the same as a cancelled result. It means the candidate’s performance is under active investigation, and a final decision rests with the Nigeria Examinations Committee following a review. Results are released if the candidate is cleared, but specific subjects or the entire result may be cancelled where malpractice is confirmed.
Steps affected candidates should take
Affected candidates are advised to stay calm, as a withheld result does not automatically lead to cancellation. The first step is to contact the school principal or examination officer, since schools typically receive official correspondence from WAEC and can help with guidance or representations.
Candidates can also use the official WAEC Notice of Examinations Malpractice complaints portal at waecinternational.org/complaints, where they can enter their examination number to view the reason for the notice and submit a defence for the council’s consideration. The portal should be checked periodically, including around four weeks after results are published.
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Candidates should rely only on verified WAEC channels, including its official website, verified social media accounts, and physical offices. WAEC has warned that agents, social media intermediaries, and third parties who claim they can release, upgrade, or fast-track withheld results are running scams.
Investigations can take several weeks or months, depending on how complex the case is. In many instances, candidates with withheld results can still apply to tertiary institutions using an “awaiting result” status, though the final result will be required for clearance and admission confirmation.
WAEC also noted that candidates whose results remain unreleased because of their state’s outstanding debt to the council are in a separate category from malpractice cases. Affected students and parents are urged not to rely on unverified lists or letters circulating online that claim specific schools’ results have been mass-withheld.
Photo Credit: @waecnigeria
Source: Facebook
WAEC releases 2026 WASSCE results
Legit.ng earlier reported that WAEC announced the release of the 2026 WASSCE School Candidates’ results on Wednesday via its official X handle.
About 1.96 million candidates from over 24,200 secondary schools across Nigeria sat the examination this year.
Candidates must generate a PIN on waec.org before accessing their results on the waecdirect.org portal.
Source: Legit.ng