The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has disclosed that National Examinations Council (NECO) question papers were allegedly sold for as little as ₦3,000 before candidates sat for their examinations.
Alausa made the disclosure while speaking on the growing problem of examination malpractice in Nigeria, describing the situation as alarming. The minister said leaked examination questions had become a major challenge, with some individuals making them available to candidates for payment before examinations commenced.
The minister, while recounting his experience in the fight against examination malpractice, alleged that NECO examination questions were previously made available for sale before candidates sat for the examinations.
He said candidates or individuals seeking leaked questions could access them for as little as ₦3,000 before the examination.
According to Alausa, the practice was linked to the former NECO Registrar, Dantani Wushishi, whom he referenced while explaining how people obtained the leaked questions.
He said,
“The Registrar of NECO at the time had a name. His name was Wushishi. You would go to Wushishi… I didn’t know that Wushishi meant going to the dark website.
“They bought his question for ₦3,000. That was it. Before the examination. They called him Wushishi and bought the questions for ₦3,000 before the examination.”
He also recalled that during the 2025 examination period, he received copies of examination questions before candidates sat for the papers. According to him, officials had to verify the materials with examination authorities and, in some cases, confirmed that the questions were genuine.
Alausa stressed that examination malpractice should not be blamed solely on students, noting that parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals and invigilators also play roles in enabling or preventing the practice.
He said the Federal Government would continue to strengthen measures aimed at protecting the integrity of public examinations and ensuring that academic qualifications reflect students’ actual knowledge and abilities.
By Musekir Faisat Omolara
