WAEC Releases 2026 WASSCE Results: 1.2 Million Candidates Pass English, Maths

…61.54% meet university entry requirement as 167,486 results withheld over malpractice

…How to check results online, via mobile app, and by SMS

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially released the results of the 2026 Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates, with 1,200,514 candidates—representing 61.54 per cent—obtaining credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics .

Announcing the results on Wednesday in Lagos, the Head of WAEC’s Nigeria National Office, Dr Amos Josiah Dangut, said this represents a 1.42 per cent decrease compared to the 2025 examination results .

Performance Overview

A total of 1,959,668 candidates from 24,207 schools enrolled for the examination conducted across Nigeria, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, and Equatorial Guinea, with 1,950,726 candidates ultimately sitting for the examination .

Key performance statistics:

• 1,200,514 candidates (61.54%) obtained credits and above in five subjects, including English and Mathematics 

• 1,687,378 candidates (86.50%) obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects, with or without English and Mathematics 

• 1,834,695 candidates (94.05%) have had their results fully processed and released 

• 116,031 candidates (5.95%) are still being processed 

Gender Breakdown

Among the 1.2 million candidates who passed English and Mathematics:

• 558,883 (28.65%) were male 

• 641,631 (32.89%) were female 

Overall, 953,459 males (48.88%) and 997,267 females (51.12%) sat the examination .

Candidates with Special Needs

A total of 1,213 candidates with special needs registered for the examination. This includes :

• 137 visually challenged candidates

• 491 with impaired hearing

• 55 spastic and mentally challenged candidates

• 41 physically challenged candidates

Malpractice Cases

WAEC withheld the results of 167,486 candidates, representing 8.59 per cent, over examination malpractice . This figure reflects a slight improvement from the 9.7 per cent recorded in 2025 .

Dr Dangut identified “the increasing use of cell phones in the examination hall, in spite of the existing ban, and organised cheating in some schools” as ongoing challenges . He added that some supervisors and invigilators caught aiding candidates to cheat have been apprehended and will face sanctions through State Ministries of Education .

Digital Certificates Now Available

In a significant development, WAEC announced that candidates can now apply for their digital certificates 48 hours after checking their results online . Hard copies of certificates will be available within 90 days .

How to Check Your 2026 WAEC Results

Candidates can check their results through three methods: online portal, mobile app, or SMS .

What You Need

Before checking your result, ensure you have :

1. 10-digit examination number (7-digit centre number + 3-digit candidate number)

2. WAEC e-PIN and serial number (can be purchased for ₦5,000)

3. An internet-enabled device or mobile phone for SMS

Option 1: Check Online

1. Visit the official WAEC result portal at waec.org 

2. Enter your 10-digit examination number (e.g., 4123456789) 

3. Select 2026 as the examination year 

4. Select School Candidate Result as the examination type 

5. Enter your e-PIN and serial number 

6. Click Submit to view your result 

Option 2: Check via Mobile App

1. Download the WAEC Result Checker app from the Google Play Store 

2. Open the app and enter your examination number 

3. Select the examination year (2026) 

4. Enter your Serial Number and PIN 

5. Submit to view and download your result 

Option 3: Check via SMS

This option does not require internet access and works on MTN, Glo, and Airtel lines :

1. Type a message in this format:
   WAEC[Examination Number][PIN]*[Examination Year] 

   Example: WAEC412345678912345678902026* 

2. Send to 32327 

3. Your result will be sent as a text message (standard SMS charges apply) 

How to Buy a WAEC e-PIN

1. Visit waeconline.org 

2. Click Buy WAEC Result Checker 

3. Select your examination type and click Get Started 

4. Enter your email address and other required details 

5. Choose a payment option and complete the ₦5,000 payment 

6. Your serial number and PIN will be issued immediately after payment 

Note: Scratch cards purchased in previous years remain valid and may be used up to five times, but only for one candidate’s examination number. A separate card is required for each candidate .

Understanding Your Grades

WAEC grades range from A1 to F9 :

• A1, B2, B3 – Distinction and Merit 

• C4, C5, C6 – Credit passes 

• D7, E8 – Ordinary passes 

• F9 – Fail 

For admission into most Nigerian universities, candidates are generally expected to obtain at least five credit passes, including English Language and Mathematics, with C6 being the minimum credit grade .

Important Notices

• Results of candidates sponsored by states indebted to WAEC will not be released until payment is made 

• Candidates can check results within 12 hours on the result portal at waecdirect.org 

• Registration for the 2026 WASSCE for Private Candidates (Second Series) is ongoing at ₦37,500, with walk-in candidates also allowed 

A Farewell Briefing

Dr Dangut, who described this as his third and last briefing as Head of WAEC Nigeria, noted that 2026 was the second time the Council conducted the CB-WASSCE for school candidates . He highlighted recent innovations including the Digital Examiner Mark System (DEMS) for faster processing, serialisation of question papers to combat malpractice, and a new portal allowing candidates to directly generate e-PINs 

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