Accredited secondary schools in Nigeria may spend about ₦1.6 trillion to meet the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) requirement for Computer-Based Testing (CBT) approval of centres for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
WAEC has directed that every school must provide at least 250 functional computer systems, a server, a local area network, CCTV cameras, and other facilities to qualify as a CBT centre. Schools that are unable to meet the standard will be assigned to external centres.
According to market checks at Computer Village, Lagos, fairly used desktop computers imported from the United Kingdom cost between ₦250,000 and ₦300,000 each. This means a school would need between ₦62.5 million and ₦75 million to procure the minimum 250 systems required, excluding other accessories. Using a mid-range estimate of ₦68 million, the cost for Nigeria’s 23,554 approved WASSCE centres would total about ₦1.6 trillion, assuming none already owns the required number of systems.
Teachers and education stakeholders have expressed concerns about the feasibility of the directive. They noted challenges such as electricity, internet access, maintenance, and security, especially for schools in rural areas. Some argued that the timeline for implementation is too short, while others commended the policy as a step towards improving examination integrity and students’ digital literacy.
Stakeholders suggested that government support, phased implementation, and private sector partnerships would be necessary to make the transition realistic for schools nationwide.
