The Federal Government has exposed the shocking extent of examination malpractice in Nigeria, with Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, alleging that NECO questions were once sold for as little as N3,000 before candidates sat for the exams.
Alausa made the revelation on Thursday while meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other education stakeholders.
Describing the situation as “mind-boggling,” the minister said examination malpractice had become deeply entrenched in the country, putting hardworking students at a serious disadvantage.
According to him, the problem was so widespread that students who prepared honestly could eventually be tempted to cheat simply to compete with those who had access to leaked examination papers.
Alausa recalled an earlier period when candidates allegedly obtained examination questions through a person referred to as “Wushishi”, paying just N3,000 for the papers before the examination.
He also recounted his experience during the 2025 examination season, saying he was repeatedly sent questions that had allegedly leaked ahead of the scheduled papers.
On some occasions, he said officials were forced to contact examination authorities to verify whether the leaked questions were genuine — only to discover that they were indeed the questions candidates were expected to answer that day.
The minister said the revelations showed that examination malpractice could not simply be blamed on students.
He accused parents, teachers, school owners, principals and invigilators of sometimes playing a role in creating an environment where cheating thrives.
Alausa warned that the Federal Government would intensify efforts to block examination leakages and other forms of malpractice, insisting that certificates must reflect genuine academic ability.
He said the reforms were part of President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to restore standards and rebuild confidence in Nigeria’s education system.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, also urged private school owners to support the reforms.
She said the introduction of serialised examination questions would make it harder for students to rely on leaked papers and force candidates to prepare properly for examinations.
The Federal Government has continued to face concerns over question-paper leaks, impersonation, collusion and other forms of examination malpractice, with officials now promising tougher measures to protect the credibility of public examinations.
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