A WAEC official has alleged that the examination body failed to supply calculators and identification cards worth around ₦15 billion to candidates who paid for them during the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Olanrewaju Fadehan, Head of Examinations at WAEC’s Anambra office in Awka, told Sahara Reporters that about 1.5 million candidates did not receive calculators despite paying for them. He valued the calculators at roughly ₦4,500 each, putting the estimated cost of the missing items at ₦6.75 billion. Adding the alleged value of the identification cards brought him to his broader estimate of ₦15 billion.
In Anambra state alone, Fadehan claimed that about 13,000 calculators were supplied for more than 65,000 candidates. He also alleged other irregularities during the exam cycle, including candidates sharing examination questions and some papers starting several hours behind schedule.
Fadehan has called for an investigation and said he petitioned the WAEC Board, the Minister of Education, the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examining Bodies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
WAEC has rejected the allegations. The council described them as false and sensational claims capable of damaging the organisation and its leadership.
The dispute has already produced legal action. The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre invited Fadehan for questioning over allegations of cyberstalking and criminal defamation. WAEC and its Head of National Office, Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, also filed a lawsuit seeking ₦825 million in damages. The claim is made up of ₦500 million in general damages, ₦300 million in aggravated and exemplary damages, and ₦25 million in legal costs.
A Lagos State High Court issued an interim order restricting Fadehan from publishing or circulating material concerning WAEC, its examinations, and Dangut that was alleged to be defamatory. Fadehan has described the police and court actions as attempts to silence him and maintains that he has evidence to support his allegations.
WAEC disputes his account and has linked his disciplinary issues to a separate allegation involving a diesel shortage at its Awka office. Fadehan has denied wrongdoing in that matter.
The allegations come at a difficult time for WAEC. In September, applicants for WAEC’s recruitment aptitude test complained about difficulties accessing the examination portal, login problems, and other technical issues. Some applicants said they were unable to take the test even after arriving at their designated centres. WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, disputed those complaints and said the recruitment examination was conducted successfully without major glitches.
The recruitment controversy followed separate concerns over the 2026 WASSCE results. WAEC announced that 1,950,726 candidates sat the examination, while 167,486 results were withheld over alleged examination malpractice. Fadehan had also raised concerns about those results, particularly the effect of computer-based examination problems on candidates’ performance.
The ₦15 billion claim remains an allegation and has not been established by any court. The competing claims are now part of an ongoing legal dispute involving Fadehan, WAEC, and Dangut.
According to Pulse.ng.
