Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has revealed that National Examinations Council (NECO) examination questions were allegedly obtained and sold for as little as ₦3,000 before candidates sat for the examinations.
Alausa made the disclosure on Thursday, September 3, during a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and other education stakeholders. He described the scale of examination malpractice in Nigeria as “mind-boggling.”
The minister said examination malpractice had been tolerated for years, creating an unfair situation in which students who genuinely prepared for their examinations were placed at a disadvantage against candidates who gained access to examination questions beforehand.
Alausa recalled an alleged case involving the former NECO Registrar, Ibrahim Wushishi, saying examination questions were reportedly obtained before the examination and sold for ₦3,000. The allegation was presented as part of his account of the difficulties authorities have faced in tackling examination leakages.
He also spoke about his experience during the 2025 examination period, saying he repeatedly received examination questions that had allegedly reached students before they sat for the papers. According to him, officials checked some of the questions with examination authorities and were told that they were indeed the questions scheduled for that day’s examination.
Government targets wider examination malpractice
The minister stressed that examination malpractice cannot be blamed solely on students. He said parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals and invigilators all have responsibilities in preventing examination fraud.
He warned that allowing students to obtain leaked questions creates an unfair environment and could eventually encourage honest students to cheat simply to compete with those who already have access to examination materials.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, also called on private school proprietors to support the government’s efforts to strengthen examination integrity.
She said the government was introducing measures such as serialised examination questions, which would make it harder for candidates to benefit from leaked materials. She also urged schools to complete their curricula on time and encourage students to study consistently.
The Federal Government says its reforms are intended to ensure that examination results and certificates accurately reflect students’ knowledge and abilities while protecting candidates who prepare and compete honestly.
Why it matters
Examination question leakages can undermine confidence in Nigeria’s education system and disadvantage hardworking students. Stronger examination controls could help restore credibility to NECO and other public examinations and make academic results a more reliable reflection of students’ abilities.
