NECO Question Papers Were Sold For ₦3,000 Before Exams — Minister

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has revealed that National Examinations Council question papers were previously sold for N3,000 before candidates sat for examinations.

Alausa made the disclosure on Thursday at a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other stakeholders in the education sector.

He described the level of examination malpractice in Nigeria as “mind-boggling,” warning that the acceptance of cheating and examination leakages had created an unfair system that disadvantaged students who prepared for their examinations.

The minister said leaked questions could encourage honest students to join in malpractice because they would otherwise compete against candidates who had obtained examination materials in advance.

Recalling his experience in combating examination malpractice, Alausa said examination questions had previously been obtained and sold before candidates sat for their papers.

He explained that people used a name associated with the former NECO registrar, Professor Dantani Wushishi, to refer to a dark website where examination questions were allegedly obtained.

Alausa also recalled the 2025 examination period, saying he frequently received examination questions that had allegedly been obtained before candidates sat for their papers.

He said officials sometimes had to verify the circulated questions with examination authorities, only to discover that the questions were genuinely those scheduled for the day.

The minister said the problem was not solely the responsibility of students, stressing that parents, schools, teachers, invigilators and principals all had roles in preventing examination malpractice.

Alausa warned that the Federal Government would strengthen measures aimed at protecting the credibility of public examinations and ensuring that academic results reflect genuine knowledge and ability.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, also urged private school proprietors to support reforms.

She said serialised examination questions would make it more difficult for candidates to rely on leaked materials, while encouraging students to prepare genuinely.

The Federal Government’s focus on examination integrity comes amid concerns over question-paper leakages, impersonation, collusion and other forms of malpractice.

The reforms are intended to restore confidence in Nigeria’s examination system and ensure that students compete fairly based on their knowledge, preparation and academic ability.