NECO Exam Questions Allegedly Sold For N3,000 Before Papers, Education Minister Reveals.

 

The Federal Government has raised fresh concerns over examination malpractice in Nigeria, revealing that some National Examinations Council (NECO) questions were allegedly leaked to candidates before the scheduled examinations.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Thursday, September 3, 2026, during a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other education stakeholders.

Alausa described the level of examination malpractice uncovered by his ministry as “mind-boggling”, warning that students who study and prepare honestly could be disadvantaged when others gain access to examination materials ahead of time.

The minister recounted one incident in which examination questions were allegedly sold to candidates for N3,000 before the examination.

“They bought his question for N3,000. That was it. Before the examination. They called him Wushishi and bought the questions for N3,000,” Alausa said, referring to former NECO Registrar Ibrahim Wushishi.

He also recalled incidents during the 2025 examination period when purported examination questions were repeatedly sent to him before candidates sat for the papers.

According to him, some of the materials had to be verified with examination officials before they were confirmed as the actual questions candidates were expected to answer that day.

Alausa warned that the continued leakage of examination materials could have serious consequences for the education system, including pushing honest students towards malpractice.

“The danger was that the good students would also become bad,” he said.

The minister stressed that examination malpractice should not be blamed solely on students, noting that parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals and invigilators all have roles to play in curbing the practice.

He called for greater collaboration among stakeholders across the education sector to protect the integrity of examinations and ensure that students are assessed fairly.