2026 WASSCE Results: Performance Analysis [UPDATED]

The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, on Wednesday released the results of the 2026 Computer-Based WASSCE for School Candidates, with 1,200,514 candidates representing 61.54% obtaining credits and above in a minimum of five subjects including English Language and Mathematics. Standardized& Admissions Tests 

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.

Announcing the results in Lagos, Josiah Dangut, head of WAEC Nigeria, said a total of 1,200,514 candidates, representing 61.54 percent, obtained credits and above in at least five subjects, including English and Mathematics, out of the 1,950,726 candidates who sat the examination.

The number of candidates who obtained credits in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics, dropped by 2.26 percentage points when compared with the 1,239,884 candidates, representing 62.96 percent, who achieved the same feat in the 2025 WASSCE.

Dangut said the results of 1,834,695 candidates, representing 94.05 percent, had been processed and released, while those of 116,031 candidates, representing 5.95 percent, were still being processed.

According to him, 1,213 candidates with special needs registered for the examination, including 137 visually impaired candidates, 491 with impaired hearing, 55 spastic and mentally challenged candidates, and 41 physically challenged candidates.

He added that results of 167,486 candidates, representing 8.59 percent, were withheld over examination malpractice.

Dangut said the figure was 1.11 percentage points lower than the 9.7 percent recorded in 2025.

He said the council withheld the affected results due to various infractions, including the increasing use of mobile phones in examination halls despite the existing ban and organised cheating in some schools.

The WAEC official added that some supervisors and invigilators found assisting candidates in malpractice had been arrested and would face disciplinary action through the relevant state ministries of education.

“The increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and organised cheating in some schools are other nagging issues,” Dangut said.

WAEC 2026 WASSCE RESULTS STATISTICS

According to the official statistics:

▪ 1,959,668 candidates registered for the examination.

▪ 1,950,726 candidates sat for the 2026 WASSCE.

▪ 953,459 (48.88%) were male candidates.

▪ 997,267 (51.12%) were female candidates.

▪ 1,834,695 (94.05%) results have been fully processed and released.

▪ 167,486 (8.59%) results were withheld.

▪ 1,687,378 candidates (86.50%) obtained a minimum of five credits (with or without English Language and Mathematics).

▪ 1,200,514 candidates (61.54%) obtained a minimum of five credits including English Language and Mathematics.

▪ The examination was conducted across 24,207 centres.

The results show that more than 1.2 million candidates met the key benchmark of five credits including English and Mathematics, the standard requirement for university admission in Nigeria and many other institutions. Female candidates slightly outnumbered their male counterparts in overall participation.

GENDER BREAKDOWN

A total of 953,459 candidates, representing 48.88 percent, were male candidates.

A total of 997,267 candidates, representing 51.12 percent, were female candidates.

Female candidates therefore slightly outnumbered male candidates among those who sat for the examination.

CANDIDATES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

A total of 1,213 candidates with special needs registered for the examination.

This included:

▪ 137 visually impaired candidates.

▪ 491 candidates with impaired hearing.

▪ 55 spastic and mentally challenged candidates.

▪ 41 physically challenged candidates.

WITHHELD RESULTS AND EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE

WAEC withheld the results of 167,486 candidates, representing 8.59 percent, over examination malpractice.

The figure was 1.11 percentage points lower than the 9.7 percent recorded in 2025.

WAEC said the affected results were withheld due to various examination infractions, including the increasing use of mobile phones in examination halls despite the existing ban and organised cheating in some schools.

Some supervisors and invigilators found assisting candidates in examination malpractice were arrested and would face disciplinary action through the relevant State Ministries of Education.

The Head of WAEC Nigeria also noted that the increasing use of cell phones in examination halls, despite the existing ban, and organised cheating in some schools remained major concerns.

2026 WASSCE KEY INNOVATIONS

The 2026 examination was the second time the Council conducted the Computer-Based WASSCE for school candidates.

Other innovations introduced by WAEC include:

▪ The Digital Examiner Mark System, DEMS, for faster processing of examination scripts.

▪ Serialisation of question papers to help combat examination malpractice.

▪ A new portal through which candidates can directly generate e-PINs for checking their results.

WAEC 2026 RESULT SUMMARY

The 2026 WASSCE results show that more than 1.2 million candidates met the key benchmark of obtaining at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.

▪ Candidates registered: 1,959,668

▪ Candidates who sat for the examination: 1,950,726

▪ Male candidates: 953,459, representing 48.88 percent

▪ Female candidates: 997,267, representing 51.12 percent

▪ Results processed and released: 1,834,695, representing 94.05 percent

▪ Results still being processed: 116,031, representing 5.95 percent

▪ Candidates with five credits or more, with or without English Language and Mathematics: 1,687,378, representing 86.50 percent

▪ Candidates with five credits or more, including English Language and Mathematics: 1,200,514, representing 61.54 percent

▪ Results withheld over examination malpractice: 167,486, representing 8.59 percent

▪ Candidates with special needs: 1,213

▪ Examination centres: 24,207

▪ Candidates who obtained five credits including English Language and Mathematics in 2025: 1,239,884, representing 62.96 percent

▪ Candidates who obtained five credits including English Language and Mathematics in 2026: 1,200,514, representing 61.54 percent

WHAT THE 2026 WAEC RESULTS MEAN FOR ADMISSION

The 1,200,514 candidates who obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, met the commonly required WAEC subject benchmark for many university admission processes in Nigeria.

However, meeting the WAEC credit requirement does not by itself guarantee admission. Candidates must also satisfy the specific O'Level subject requirements for their chosen course and institution, as well as other applicable admission requirements for the 2026/2027 academic session.