Outrage as WAEC Delays Force Candidates to Write Night Exams with Flashlights

Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

LAGOS, Nigeria – The ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination has descended into chaos across four states following the late arrival of examination materials, forcing thousands of candidates to write their papers well past sunset using torchlights, mobile phone flashlights, and solar-powered lamps. The crisis, which began on Monday, June 1, 2026, and persisted through Thursday, June 4, has affected centres in Oyo, Lagos, Osun, and Ogun states, sparking widespread outrage among parents, school administrators, and education stakeholders.

The most severe disruptions occurred on Monday during the Physics Essay and Physics Objective papers, originally scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. respectively. Candidates in several examination centres reportedly waited for hours before receiving their question papers. In many locations, students did not begin writing one of the papers until approximately 8:00 p.m., forcing them to remain on school premises long after darkness had fallen. A social media user identified as Walestart lamented on X, “WAEC can do better. Since Monday, the paper has been coming so late. But today is the worst.” The situation was particularly pronounced in Ibadan, Iseyin and Oyo towns in Oyo State, the Lekki axis of Lagos State, and Osogbo in Osun State, where some centres reportedly did not receive materials until late in the evening.

Wednesday, June 3, brought even greater disruptions. Candidates sitting for General Mathematics Objective experienced major delays, with the essay paper scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to noon and the objective paper slated for 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. In many centres, the examination reportedly did not conclude until around 10:00 p.m., forcing students to spend virtually the entire day waiting and writing. One parent in Lagos told reporters that her child returned home around 10:00 p.m. after sitting Wednesday‘s paper. “My child returned home around 10 pm on Wednesday,” she said. Another parent in Oyo State said his child remained at the examination centre long after the scheduled time. “It is 9 pm, and my child called that the examination is yet to start. The school staff members are still waiting for WAEC officials to bring the examination questions,” the father recounted. With classrooms already dark, some students moved their desks outdoors to take advantage of available light, while others relied on torchlights, mobile phone flashlights and solar-powered lamps to write their papers.

The crisis continued into Thursday, June 4, when candidates sitting for Agricultural Science Practical were left waiting for hours. The first batch of the practical examination was slated for 2:00 p.m., while the second batch was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. However, as of 8:00 p.m., some centres in Oyo State had yet to commence the examination. A disturbing video circulating on social media showed candidates writing the Agricultural Science practical examination late at night without electricity, using lanterns and mobile phone flashlights to see their answer sheets. Beyond the delayed arrival of materials, some centres reportedly faced shortages of question papers. An X user, Mum Ire, alleged that only 35 copies of Mathematics questions were supplied for 75 candidates at an examination centre. “Out of 75 candidates, only 35 Mathematics questions were brought to the examination centre for the entire exam yesterday. Now we are being told that the Agriculture Science practical questions are on the way at 8.10 pm,” she wrote.

A WAEC source told Daily Sun that logistics problems affected the distribution of the question papers by road in Lagos and other parts of the South-West. The Head of National Office of WAEC, Dr Amos Dangut, did not answer calls from correspondents seeking comment. A WAEC official, who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, confirmed that the council was aware of the challenges. “Yes, we are aware of some hitches due to unforeseen circumstances. However, we are doing everything possible to address the issues, and hopefully, things will return to normal soon,” the official said. The examination body has yet to issue an official public statement explaining the full extent of the disruptions.

The delays have revived painful memories of the 2025 WASSCE scenario, when candidates in some parts of the country sat examinations late into the night using lanterns and torchlights. At that time, WAEC attributed the delays to efforts aimed at curbing examination malpractice and preventing question paper leakage, as well as logistical challenges, security concerns and sociocultural factors. Reacting to the incident, a cleric, Pastor S.O. Solarin, criticised the late delivery of examination materials, warning that prolonged delays could expose students to security risks. “It has come to our hearing that some of our students writing WAEC only received their examination papers now. Given the security situation in the country, WAEC officials need to explain why students are being kept at examination centres so late in the day,” he said. A school principal, speaking anonymously, expressed disappointment over the recurring challenges. “Why are we experiencing this again after what happened last year? Apart from the security concerns in the country, these delays have psychological effects on candidates. Imagine preparing for an examination scheduled for noon and eventually writing it at 7 p.m. or later,” the principal said.

Several residents in Osun State described the development as disturbing, noting that candidates were still sitting examinations after sunset. Another social media user, Ibrahim, expressed concern over the safety implications of the delays. “Right now in Oyo State, WAEC students are just starting their paper by 7 pm, even with all the insecurity out there,” he posted. As of the morning of June 5, WAEC had not issued any official statement explaining the cause of the delays. However, stakeholders are calling on the examination body to provide clear information and introduce measures that will prevent similar disruptions in future examinations.

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