By John Moses
The National Examinations Council (NECO) of Nigeria is ramping up efforts to tackle examination malpractice, particularly the leaking of exam questions through social media platforms such as WhatsApp.
Mr Ahmed Bagwai, Chairman of NECO’s Annual Posting Calendar Implementation Committee, told the Newsmen on Wednesday in Ibadan that the council is pursuing a court order to block phone numbers identified as being used to circulate leaked papers.
A motion ex parte has been prepared and is set to be filed at the Suleja Division of the Niger State High Court, Bagwai disclosed. The council is also working alongside national agencies, including the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), through its Examination Intelligence Committee.
“These combined measures have made it harder for fraudsters to obtain live question papers in advance,” Bagwai noted. “Yet, leaks still occur just hours before exams begin.”
While exam papers are closely monitored from the printing press to official custodians, Bagwai admitted that some suspicious activities had been observed among supervisors and other officials.
As NECO exams proceed, investigations have found that special WhatsApp groups openly trade leaked exam content, with prices ranging from ₦500 to ₦3,500. Teachers and supervisors are reportedly accepting bribes from students and parents to aid malpractice.
One teacher in Ibadan, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed alarm that even entrance exams conducted by states are being compromised. “Parental involvement, social media, and weakened societal values are worsening the problem,” the teacher said, calling for stricter penalties and greater community vigilance.
A former Commissioner of Police and security adviser to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Mr Fatai Owoseni, revealed that fraudsters now deploy ‘face-blending’—a technique where candidates’ photos are digitally merged to cheat biometric systems.
“Exam malpractice has become an industry; candidates now hire professional impersonators,” Owoseni said, adding that despite JAMB’s significant investment in cybersecurity, attempts to hack its systems continue.
He praised JAMB’s reforms under Prof Ishaq Oloyede and encouraged NECO and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to work closely with JAMB, while cautiously adopting computer-based testing (CBT) to safeguard exam integrity.
