The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has attributed delays in the conduct of some papers during the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to a fatal road accident that claimed the lives of three of its officials, as well as ongoing security and logistical challenges.
The council disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by its Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina.
According to WAEC, the three officials died in a road accident on June 3 along the Gombe–Yola highway while transporting sensitive examination materials across states. The tragic incident disrupted the distribution of examination materials and contributed significantly to delays experienced at several examination centres.
“The delay was caused by a combination of logistical and operational challenges, notably the direct result of a devastating motor accident on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, which tragically claimed the lives of three of our dedicated personnel who were transporting sensitive examination materials interstate,” the statement said.
WAEC noted that the loss of the officials, coupled with prevailing security concerns in some areas, severely affected the timely delivery of examination materials.
Last week, candidates in parts of Oyo, Lagos, and Osun states reportedly sat for Mathematics and Agricultural Science papers late into the evening due to delays in the distribution of question papers and answer booklets.
Reports indicated that some candidates had to rely on torchlights, mobile phone flashlights, and solar-powered lamps to complete their examinations, while others moved outdoors after sunset to make use of available light.
The council stated that preliminary investigations also revealed that challenges related to the finalisation of examination arrangements and late candidate registration contributed to delays in the production and distribution of examination materials.
WAEC further explained that security concerns, including protests linked to the abduction of schoolchildren in certain locations, hampered the movement of personnel and examination materials.
“While we mourned our fallen colleagues, our team of dedicated staff worked tirelessly to implement emergency contingency measures to ensure that the examination was conducted in the affected areas,” the council said.
The examination body added that corrective measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence of the delays and expressed confidence that the remaining papers would be conducted without disruption.
According to WAEC, the smooth conduct of examinations on June 5 demonstrated that the challenges had largely been addressed.
“The council hereby assures the general public that it has put modalities in place to ensure that the rest of the examination is conducted hitch-free,” the statement added.
The 2026 May/June WASSCE for school candidates began on April 21 and is scheduled to conclude on June 19.
