The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has disclosed that National Examinations Council (NECO) examination questions were previously leaked and sold to candidates for as little as ₦3,000 before they sat for the examinations.
Alausa made the disclosure on Thursday during a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other stakeholders in the education sector.
The minister described the extent of examination malpractice in Nigeria as “mind-boggling,” warning that the practice had been tolerated for too long and was threatening the credibility of the country’s education system.
According to him, the widespread leakage of examination questions created an unfair environment in which students who genuinely prepared for their examinations were placed at a disadvantage against those who obtained questions in advance.
He expressed concern that the situation could also encourage hardworking students to engage in malpractice in order to compete with candidates who had access to leaked examination materials.
Alausa recalled his experience in efforts to tackle examination malpractice, alleging that examination questions were at one time available for purchase before the commencement of examinations.
He said some individuals reportedly used the name “Wushishi” as a reference to obtaining leaked examination questions, adding that the questions were allegedly sold for ₦3,000.
The minister also recounted his experience during the 2025 examination period, saying he frequently received examination questions allegedly obtained before candidates sat for the papers.
According to him, some of the questions were forwarded to him for verification, prompting officials to contact examination authorities to determine whether the materials were genuine.
He said officials were sometimes shocked to discover that the leaked questions matched the papers scheduled to be administered that day.
Alausa stressed that examination malpractice should not be blamed solely on students, arguing that parents, school proprietors, teachers, principals and examination invigilators all have important roles to play in preventing the practice.
He said an environment in which adults connive to facilitate examination malpractice makes students the “smallest players” in the problem.
The minister warned that the Federal Government would intensify measures aimed at protecting the integrity of public examinations and ensuring that academic qualifications accurately reflect students’ knowledge and abilities.
He said the reforms were part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to restore standards and reposition Nigeria’s education sector.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, urged private school proprietors and other stakeholders to support the government’s efforts to strengthen examination standards.
Ahmad noted that tighter examination controls could initially reveal weaknesses among some students who had previously benefited from leaked questions.
She explained that the introduction of serialised examination questions would make it more difficult for candidates to rely on leaked materials and encourage students to prepare genuinely for their examinations.
The minister also urged schools to complete their curricula on schedule and encourage students to maintain consistent study habits.
The Federal Government’s renewed campaign against examination malpractice comes amid persistent concerns over question-paper leakages, impersonation, collusion and unauthorised assistance during public examinations.
The government says its reforms are aimed at restoring confidence in Nigeria’s examination system and ensuring that students who prepare honestly are not disadvantaged.
