NECO Leak: Exam Questions Reportedly Sold for N3,000 Before Papers, Says Minister
Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has disclosed that National Examinations Council (NECO) exam questions were sold for as little as N3,000 before candidates sat for their papers, as the Federal Government intensifies its crackdown on examination malpractice.
Alausa made the disclosure on Thursday during a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other education sector stakeholders, describing the scale of exam malpractice in Nigeria as “mind-boggling.”
Minister Warns Against NECO Exam Malpractice
The minister cautioned parents, teachers, school proprietors, principals, invigilators, and students against actions that undermine the integrity of public examinations in Nigeria.
He said exam malpractice had been tolerated for years, creating an unfair system where genuinely prepared students were disadvantaged by candidates who accessed leaked questions beforehand.
“It’s sad. Before she (Minister of State for Education) and I came, the acceptance of examination malpractice, cheating and examination leakages in this country was mind-boggling, and the country accepted it. It was a nightmare,” Alausa said.
How NECO Questions Were Sold for N3,000
Alausa alleged that exam questions were previously obtained and sold to candidates ahead of scheduled papers, referencing former NECO Registrar Ibrahim Wushishi in his account of how the leaks operated.
“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,” he said. “They bought his question for N3,000. That was it. Before the examination.”
The minister also recalled the 2025 exam period, when he says he was repeatedly sent questions allegedly leaked ahead of test day — materials that officials later confirmed matched the actual scheduled papers.
“I was always waking up with trepidation every morning… I would send it to the HNO and ask, ‘Is this correct?’ And the answer I got was, ‘Unfortunately, that’s the question we’re doing today,'” he said.
Exam Leaks Involve More Than Students — Minister
Alausa said examination malpractice cannot be blamed on students alone, pointing instead to a wider ecosystem of complicity involving parents, schools, teachers, invigilators, and principals.
“I don’t blame the students that much. Any child can be bad,” he said. “But when we have an ecosystem where parents, schools, teachers, invigilators and principals are in full connivance, the students are the smallest players.”
Federal Government’s Response to Exam Malpractice
Alausa said the Tinubu administration would strengthen measures to protect the credibility of public examinations and ensure academic qualifications reflect genuine merit, framing the reforms as part of a broader “Nigeria’s renaissance.”
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, urged private school proprietors to support the reforms, noting that tighter exam controls may initially expose gaps in preparation among students accustomed to leaked materials.
Ahmad said the introduction of serialised examination questions — a format designed to make leaked papers far less usable — would push schools toward genuine exam preparation. She urged schools to complete curricula on schedule and encourage consistent study habits.
Background: Nigeria’s Exam Integrity Crisis
The government’s renewed focus on exam integrity comes amid long-running concerns over question-paper leakages, impersonation, collusion, and unauthorised assistance during public examinations in Nigeria. Officials say the reforms aim to protect candidates who prepare and compete fairly.
