The Federal Government has disclosed details of an alleged examination leakage in which National Examinations Council (NECO) questions were reportedly obtained and sold to candidates for as little as N3,000 before the examinations.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the revelation while speaking at a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other education stakeholders on Thursday.
Alausa described the scale of examination malpractice in Nigeria as “mind-boggling,” warning that widespread access to leaked examination materials could undermine the credibility of academic qualifications.
According to the minister, the alleged practice created an unfair advantage for candidates who obtained questions in advance, while students who studied honestly were left at a disadvantage.
“It’s sad. Before she and I came, the acceptance of examination malpractice, cheating and examination leakages in this country was mind-boggling, and the country accepted it. It was a nightmare,” Alausa said.
Recounting an earlier incident, the minister alleged that questions linked to a former NECO Registrar, Ibrahim Wushishi, were available through unofficial channels before the examination.
“They bought his question for N3,000. That was it. Before the examination,” he said.
Alausa also recalled receiving examination questions allegedly circulated ahead of scheduled papers during the 2025 examination period. He said officials were sometimes forced to verify the materials with examination authorities, with some reportedly confirmed as the actual questions candidates were due to answer that day.
The minister warned that continued malpractice could eventually pressure honest students into cheating simply to compete with those accessing leaked materials.
“The danger was that the good students would also become bad,” he said.
He stressed that tackling examination malpractice should not be left to students alone, identifying parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals and invigilators as important stakeholders.
The government has said it is strengthening examination procedures, including the use of serialised questions, to make leakage and coordinated cheating more difficult.
The controversy underscores the importance of protecting the credibility of NECO and other public examinations, which play a major role in determining students’ progression into higher education and employment.
NECO is Nigeria’s National Examinations Council, responsible for conducting major secondary-school examinations, including the Senior School Certificate Examination.
