The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) officially released the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. The announcement was made via WAEC's official X (formerly Twitter) account, providing candidates with detailed instructions on how to access their results online.
Withheld Results and Key Statistics
Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC Nigeria National Office in Lagos, announced that the examination body withheld the results of 167,486 candidates, representing 8.59% of the total candidates who sat the 2026 Computer-Based examination. This figure shows a decline from the 9.7% recorded in 2025, indicating a positive trend in examination integrity.
Dangut attributed the withholding to various infractions, including the increasing use of mobile phones in examination halls despite the existing ban, and organised cheating in some schools, as reported by Vanguard.
How to Check Your WAEC Result Online
WAEC has provided a step-by-step process for candidates to check their results. The first step is to obtain the necessary credentials: the examination number, WAEC serial number, and WAEC PIN.
Step 1: Recover Your Serial Number and PIN
If you do not have your Serial Number and PIN, WAEC advises you to recover them by following these steps:
- Visit the WAEC portal.
- Click the "Serial Number and PIN" menu at the top of the page.
- Select the 2026 examination year and the appropriate diet.
- Enter your examination number and your National Identification Number (NIN) used during WAEC registration.
- Enter your email address and phone number to receive a One-Time Password (OTP).
- Enter the OTP to recover your Serial Number and PIN.
WAEC also mentioned that candidates can download their WAEC ID card to their mobile devices through the portal.
Step 2: Visit the WAEC Result Portal
Go to waecdirect.org using any internet-enabled phone, tablet, or computer.
Step 3: Enter Your Examination Number
Type your 10-digit examination number, which consists of your 7-digit centre number and 3-digit candidate number. For example: 4123456789.
Step 4: Select the Examination Year
Choose 2026.
Step 5: Select the Examination Type
Select the appropriate examination type for your result.
Step 6: Enter Your Serial Number and PIN
Input the Serial Number and PIN you generated or recovered from the WAEC portal.
Step 7: Submit
Click Submit. Your result will appear on the screen and can be printed or saved for future reference.
Impact and Next Steps
The release of the 2026 WASSCE results marks a significant milestone for candidates across Nigeria. With the decline in withheld results, WAEC's efforts to curb examination malpractice appear to be yielding results. Candidates are encouraged to promptly check their results and follow the outlined procedures to avoid any delays.
For those whose results are withheld, WAEC provides a process for review and resolution, which is crucial for affected candidates to pursue.
