Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Government of Nigeria has emphatically denied widespread online reports claiming the cancellation of the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). The Ministry of Education, in a statement released today, labeled the circulating information as "false and misleading," urging students, parents, and the general public to disregard it.
The false reports, which gained traction on social media platforms, alleged that the 2025 WASSCE had been nullified due to widespread examination malpractice, question leakages, and the purported use of artificial intelligence to facilitate cheating. Some versions of the fake news even claimed that all papers written between May 6 and July 18 were canceled, with a new timetable promised by August 5.
However, the Federal Ministry of Education, through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Boriowo Folasade, clarified that the 2025 WAEC examinations have been "successfully concluded" with only a few isolated incidents of malpractice, all of which were promptly addressed by the relevant authorities. The Ministry also confirmed that the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations are progressing smoothly with no reported cases of malpractice as of this release.
Similarly, WAEC, in a swift rebuttal issued by its Acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, categorically stated that the "spurious press statement" did not emanate from the Council. Adesina emphasized that the examination has not been cancelled and that marking of scripts has just been concluded, with results expected to be released on or before Thursday, August 4, 2025.
Both the Federal Ministry of Education and WAEC stressed that they have not received any official communication or report from any examination body indicating widespread irregularities that would warrant such a drastic measure as cancellation. They urged the public to rely only on official communications from their verified channels and reputable media outlets, cautioning against the spread of fabricated information designed to cause panic and confusion.
The 2025 WASSCE for school candidates commenced on Thursday, April 24, 2025, and concluded on Friday, June 20, 2025. The prompt and coordinated denial from both the government and the examination body aims to quell anxieties among candidates and stakeholders who have invested time and effort in the examinations. The authorities remain committed to upholding the integrity and credibility of all public examinations in Nigeria.