WAEC Blames Fatal Crash, Insecurity for Delayed 2026 WASSCE Papers

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has attributed the delay in the conduct of some papers in the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to a fatal road accident, insecurity challenges, and operational bottlenecks affecting logistics and examination materials distribution.

The clarification was contained in a statement signed on Monday by the Head of Public Affairs Department, Moyosola Adesina, for the Head of National Office, WAEC, Yaba, Lagos.

The Council said it received reports of delayed commencement of Mathematics and Agricultural Science papers in some centres with “deep concern,” prompting immediate investigations to determine the causes and prevent a recurrence.

Preliminary findings, according to WAEC, showed that a major disruption occurred following a tragic motor accident on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, involving staff members transporting sensitive examination materials across states.

The Council disclosed that three of its personnel lost their lives in the crash, describing the incident as a devastating blow to its operations and distribution timeline.

“This heartbreaking loss, coupled with prevailing regional security challenges, severely compromised our distribution schedule, which inadvertently led to the delayed start times,” the statement said.

WAEC explained that despite the setback, emergency contingency measures were activated immediately by its staff to ensure that examinations were conducted in affected areas.

The examination body also cited additional challenges, including delays in finalising the mode of conduct for the examination and late registration of candidates, which affected the timely preparation and distribution of materials.

It further noted that security disruptions, including protests in some areas linked to the abduction of school children, also interfered with the movement of examination materials despite efforts to maintain schedules.

The Council assured stakeholders that measures had been put in place to prevent a recurrence of such delays for the remainder of the examination period.

It added that improvements were already being observed, referencing the smooth conduct of the examination on Friday, June 5, 2026, in most centres.

WAEC commended the Federal and State Ministries of Education, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies for their support in managing examination logistics under difficult conditions.

The Council reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the credibility and integrity of its examinations, stressing that it would continue to uphold global standards despite operational challenges.

It also expressed condolences to the families of the deceased staff members, describing them as dedicated officers who died in the line of duty while ensuring the safe delivery of examination materials.