What to do if WAEC withholds your 2026 WASSCE result

The West African Examinations Council has decided to withhold the results of 167,486 candidates who participated in the 2026 Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination for School Candidates due to alleged examination malpractice.

This number accounts for 8.59 percent of the total 1,950,726 candidates who sat for the examination, indicating a decrease from the 9.7 percent reported in 2025.

Dr. Amos Dangut, the Head of the WAEC Nigeria National Office, made this announcement while releasing the results in Lagos on Wednesday.

Dangut pointed out that the rising use of mobile phones in examination halls, despite a ban, along with organized cheating in certain schools, were significant factors leading to the withholding of results.

He also mentioned that some supervisors and invigilators who were found to be assisting candidates have been apprehended and will face disciplinary measures through the appropriate state ministries of education.

This report outlines, based on information available on the WAEC website, the steps that affected candidates should take.

A "withheld" status indicates that the result is currently under investigation and should not be confused with cancellation.

The final decisions will be made by the Nigeria Examinations Committee following a thorough review.

What affected candidates should do
Stay calm and avoid panic. A withheld result does not automatically mean the entire result has been cancelled.
Contact your school principal or examination officer immediately.
For school candidates, schools often receive official communication from WAEC and can provide guidance or help lodge representations.
Use the official WAEC Notice of Examinations Malpractice portal at https://waecinternational.org/complaints.
On the complaints portal, candidates can enter their examination number to view the reason(s) for the notice (where available) and submit a representation or defence for the council’s consideration.
Check the portal periodically, including around four weeks after the release of the results, for updates.
Rely only on official WAEC channels, including its website, verified social media accounts and offices.
Do not pay agents, social media “helpers” or third parties who claim they can release, upgrade or fast-track a withheld result, as such claims are typically scams. Be patient.
Investigations can take weeks or several months, depending on the complexity of the case.
Results are released if the candidate is cleared. However, specific subjects or the entire result may be cancelled if malpractice is confirmed.
Candidates can still apply to tertiary institutions using an “awaiting result” status in many cases, although the final result will be required for clearance and admission confirmation.
WAEC has also noted that the results of candidates sponsored by states indebted to the council may remain unreleased until the outstanding payments are cleared.

Affected candidates and parents are advised to rely only on verified information from WAEC and avoid circulating or relying on unverified lists or letters claiming that specific schools’ results have been mass-withheld.