West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced a new deadline of March 13 for the registration of candidates for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Gatekeepers News reports that the examination body disclosed the extension on Friday, explaining that the decision followed approval from the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, to give schools and candidates additional time to complete their registration.
According to WAEC, the extension is intended to allow candidates who are still facing challenges with the registration process to finalise their applications before the examination body closes its portal.
“The final deadline is now Friday, March 13, 2026. WAEC urges all stakeholders to take advantage of this extension to resolve any pending registration issues as no further extension will be granted,” the council said.
The 2026 WASSCE will mark a major shift in the conduct of the examination as WAEC begins the gradual transition to computer-based testing across Nigeria. Federal government had earlier announced that the new system would be introduced to modernise the examination process and improve transparency.
In September 2025, Alausa said the adoption of the computer-based format is expected to strengthen and transform the architecture of student assessments in the country.
The minister explained that the federal government is backing the transition as part of broader reforms aimed at reducing examination malpractice and protecting the credibility of public examinations.
As part of its ongoing digital reforms, WAEC has also rolled out a digital certificate platform known as WAEC DigiCert, which allows candidates to access and manage their certificates electronically.
Demianus Ojijeogu, head of public affairs at WAEC headquarters in Accra, Ghana, said the platform is designed as both a mobile and web-based service that enables users to easily access, verify and share digital copies of their certificates.
He added that the system also provides a recovery option for candidates who have misplaced their WAEC examination numbers, making it easier to retrieve records without going through lengthy administrative procedures.
WAEC said the digital certificate service has already been introduced in Nigeria and several other West African countries, including Ghana, as part of efforts to modernise the management of examination records across the region.
