WAEC’s 2026 WASSCE kicked off in darkness Thursday as late exam papers forced students across Oyo, Lagos, Ogun and Osun to write papers by torchlight and phone flashlights.
The trouble started Monday. Candidates waiting for Physics papers at 2pm ended up starting hours late. By Wednesday and Thursday it got worse. In some Ibadan centres, the General Maths paper began at 6:30pm and 8:30pm. The Agricultural Science practical meant for 2pm didn’t start until 9pm. Students finished exams after 10pm, some using solar lamps to see their answer sheets.
Shortages made it messier. One centre with 75 students got only 35 Maths papers. Another hall of 250 had just 120 booklets, so invigilators tore papers in pieces.
Videos went viral on X. “My sister left for WAEC in the morning and still wasn’t home by 8pm,” user Mariam Kehinde posted. “Paper just arrived at 6pm.” Another user called it “systemic failure” after a 7-hour delay for Agric practical.
NANS president Akinteye Azeez blasted WAEC, saying it was “appalling and dangerous” to keep students at centres late at night in a region already dealing with kidnapping and insecurity. “Students must never become victims of administrative failures,” he said.
WAEC Nigeria’s head of public affairs, Moyosola Adesina, told newsmen an official statement is coming. The exam runs till June 19.
