The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has alleged that National Examinations Council (NECO) examination questions were previously sold for as little as N3,000 before candidates sat for the papers.
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, where he described the scale of examination malpractice in Nigeria as alarming.
The minister said the long-standing tolerance of question leakages and other forms of malpractice had created an unfair environment for students who genuinely prepared for examinations.
He warned that the practice could also encourage honest candidates to cheat in order to compete with those who had obtained examination materials in advance.
Recalling previous efforts to tackle examination malpractice, Alausa alleged that candidates could obtain leaked questions before examinations by approaching individuals involved in the process.
He referred to the tenure of a former NECO registrar, Ibrahim Wushishi, while recounting how examination questions were allegedly obtained and sold before the scheduled examination.
According to him, the situation was so widespread that the term “Wushishi” became associated with accessing examination questions through illicit channels.
The minister also recounted his experience during the 2025 examination period, saying he repeatedly received examination questions purportedly leaked ahead of scheduled papers.
He said officials were sometimes compelled to send the questions to examination authorities for verification, only to discover that the leaked materials corresponded with papers candidates were due to write that day.
Alausa stressed that examination malpractice should not be blamed solely on students, arguing that parents, school owners, teachers, principals and invigilators could all contribute to the problem.
He said the involvement of adults in facilitating malpractice placed students at a disadvantage and weakened the credibility of Nigeria’s education system.
The minister assured stakeholders that the Federal Government would intensify efforts to protect the integrity of public examinations and ensure that certificates reflected students’ actual knowledge and abilities.
He said the reforms were part of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader efforts to raise standards in the education sector.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, urged private school proprietors to support the reforms, noting that tighter examination controls could expose gaps in the preparation of some students.
Ahmad said some candidates who appeared to perform exceptionally well in school examinations might have become accustomed to accessing questions before tests.
She explained that the use of serialised examination questions would make it more difficult for candidates to benefit from leaked materials and encourage them to prepare adequately.
The minister further urged schools to complete their curricula within the stipulated period and promote regular study among students.
The Federal Government’s renewed campaign against examination malpractice comes amid persistent concerns over question-paper leakages, impersonation, collusion and other forms of cheating in public examinations.
The government says strengthening examination controls is necessary to restore confidence in Nigeria’s certificates and protect students who compete fairly.
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