The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released the 2025 results for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Nigeria, with just 38.32% of candidates securing credits in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
Out of the 1,969,313 students who sat for the exam, only 754,545 made the benchmark for university admission, according to Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC National Office, during a press briefing in Lagos on August 4, 2025. This marks a significant drop, with performance down by nearly 34% from last year.
“Of this number, 347,192 were male candidates, while 407,353 were females. Sadly, this year’s result shows a 33.8% decrease compared to 2024,” Dr. Dangut stated.
Meanwhile, the results of 192,089 candidates, almost 10%, were withheld over issues related to exam malpractice. WAEC says this is slightly better than last year’s 11.92% but remains a major concern. Most cases involved cheating arrangements and use of mobile phones in the halls. Investigations are ongoing, and affected students will be informed through their schools when the review process is done. Unsatisfied candidates have the option to lodge complaints on the WAEC website.
On a positive note, about 87% of candidates passed five subjects regardless of the combination, though not necessarily English and Mathematics. For those still waiting, WAEC confirmed that some results (22.94%) are still being processed but will soon be released.
Dr. Dangut also shared that over 12,000 students with special needs took part in the exam, and WAEC made sure their specific needs were addressed.
This year, almost two million students from more than 23,000 schools registered for the WASSCE across Nigeria. For now, schools and students are awaiting the final outcome from WAEC’s investigation on withheld results.
