The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the results of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), revealing a significant drop in candidates' performance compared to the previous year.

Out of the 1,969,313 candidates who sat for the examination across Nigeria and other West African countries using the Nigerian curriculum—including Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, and Equatorial Guinea—only 754,545 candidates (38.32%) obtained credits in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

This marks a sharp 33.8% decline from the 72.12% success rate recorded in 2024, raising concerns across the education sector.

Alarming Decline and Malpractice Concerns

Announcing the results at a press briefing on Monday, Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of National Office at WAEC Nigeria, described the performance as concerning. He revealed that 192,089 candidates—representing 9.75% of the total candidates—had their results withheld due to various cases of examination malpractice.

“These include the unauthorised use of mobile phones during the examination and incidents of organised cheating in some schools,” Dr. Dangut explained. “All cases are currently under investigation, and reports will be submitted to the Council’s disciplinary committee for a final decision.”

He added that affected candidates will be notified through their schools, and WAEC has made provisions for candidates to appeal or seek redress where necessary.

Gender Breakdown of Performance

Of the 754,545 successful candidates, 347,192 (46.01%) were male while 407,353 (53.99%) were female—indicating a higher performance rate among female candidates.

A total of 1,973,365 students from 23,554 schools registered for the examination, with 1,969,313 eventually sitting.

WAEC Reiterates Zero Tolerance for Malpractice

Dr. Dangut emphasized WAEC's unwavering stance against examination malpractice.

“The Council will continue to sanction all cases of malpractice. Schools, supervisors, teachers, and candidates involved in these acts are sabotaging the future of education. WAEC calls on all stakeholders to join hands in sanitizing the system.”

How to Check Results

Candidates can access their results by visiting www.waecdirect.org using the PIN and Serial Number from the Smart Identity Card issued during the exams. Results are expected to be available within 12 hours, while digital certificates will be accessible 48 hours after release.

However, WAEC disclosed that results for candidates sponsored by state governments owing the Council have been withheld until the outstanding debts are cleared.

Special Needs Candidates Record Increased Participation

In a notable development, WAEC highlighted a significant increase in the participation of candidates with special needs.

A total of 12,178 special needs candidates registered for the 2025 examination. These included:

  • 112 visually challenged

  • 615 hearing impaired

  • 52 physically or mentally challenged

“This is a significant milestone in WAEC’s ongoing efforts to ensure inclusive education for all students,” Dr. Dangut noted.

Certificates and Next Steps

WAEC stated that hard copies of certificates for fully processed results will be available within 90 days. Meanwhile, schools and candidates are encouraged to monitor official platforms for updates on withheld results and further instructions.