The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has launched a new online complaints portal for candidates accused of examination malpractice, allowing affected students to defend themselves before final decisions are taken on their cases.
The examination body said the initiative is part of efforts to improve transparency, ensure fairness, and give candidates an opportunity to respond to allegations made against them during examinations.
The announcement was made by the Head of National Office, WAEC Nigeria, Amos Dangut, during a briefing with journalists on Monday.
According to Dangut, candidates accused of malpractice will have their details uploaded to the portal where they can submit explanations and defend themselves if they believe they were wrongly accused.
“The candidates alleged to have been involved in examination malpractice will be uploaded on this portal and they are required to defend themselves against such allegations, if they are sure they’re innocent,” he said.
“This is aimed at ensuring that they are given a fair hearing; we don’t want such candidates to complain that they’re not allowed to narrate their own side in the allegation.”
He also clarified that candidates do not need scratch cards or additional payments to access the platform.
“Anyone involved in examination malpractice can access the portal with his or her data, there’s no scratch card needed,” Dangut stated.
He added that the official portal for submitting complaints and representations is waecinternational.org/complaints.
WAEC also warned that it would continue to take strict action against examination malpractice across the country. The council said penalties would be applied to candidates, supervisors, and schools found guilty, in line with decisions approved by the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC).
Speaking on the Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for school candidates scheduled for 2026, Dangut said WAEC has already intensified sensitisation campaigns nationwide through seminars, flyers, posters, and banners.
He explained that a question randomisation system would be introduced to reduce cheating and ensure candidates do not receive identical questions during the examination.
“Candidates must write only the papers assigned to them; any deviation will attract consequences,” he said.
WAEC also warned operators of rogue websites against exploiting students and parents through fake examination assistance platforms.
The council said it would work with security agencies, including the police, to track and prosecute offenders involved in examination fraud.
“Schools engaging in mass cheating will be de-recognised, officials punished, and candidates sanctioned,” WAEC stated.
