WAEC announces new registration deadline for private candidates

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Nigeria has extended the registration period for the 2025 Second Series Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) for Private Candidates.

A statement on WAEC’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle confirmed that the new deadline is Friday, September 19, 2025.“The registration period for CB-WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2025–Second Series has been extended to Friday, September 19, 2025. All prospective candidates are admonished to make good use of this opportunity,” they stated.

The Second Series CB-WASSCE is designed for private candidates and is conducted later in the year, separate from the standard May/June exams for school candidates. Previously, the registration window was set to close on Friday, September 5, 2025.

WAEC introduced the Computer-Based WASSCE to modernize the examination process, curb malpractice, align with international standards, and strengthen the integrity of its assessments.

The first CB-WASSCE was held in 2024, using a hybrid format where questions were displayed on computer screens, but candidates submitted answers with pen and paper.

This transitional system allowed candidates to adapt to the new format while enabling WAEC to evaluate the feasibility of fully computer-based testing. Drawing from the lessons of the 2024 hybrid exams, WAEC has fully adopted a computer-based format for the 2025 CB-WASSCE for Private Candidate