LAGOS — The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially abandoned its controversial 24-hour delivery policy, reverting to the traditional 48-hour distribution window for West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) materials. This policy reversal follows a period of nationwide logistical turmoil and a tragic road accident that claimed the lives of three council officials.

The Failure of the 24-Hour Policy

In an attempt to prevent exam paper leakages a recurring security challenge WAEC management had compressed the distribution window from 48 hours to 24 hours. The intent was to limit the window of opportunity for "rogue actors" to intercept sensitive materials.

However, the initiative resulted in significant operational failures:

Widespread Delays: Examination centers across the country reported consistent delays, with some students forced to sit for major papers like Mathematics and Agricultural Science late into the night under poor conditions.

Logistical Overreach: Internal sources confirmed that the 24-hour window was "grossly inadequate" for traversing Nigeria’s vast geography and navigating the country's often treacherous federal highways.

Staff Pressure: Field workers, tasked with meeting these aggressive timelines, were reportedly forced to drive through the night without rest, leading to fatigue and safety risks.

A Tragic Toll

The human cost of the compressed timeline became devastatingly clear on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Three WAEC officials Eleshin Dennis Olayinka, Dan-Malam Add’ua Muhammed, and Yusuf Umar Gwamna were killed in a head-on collision in Gombe State while transporting exam materials along the Gombe-Yola Road. The accident, caused when an oncoming trailer veered into their lane, has profoundly demoralized staff nationwide.

WAEC’s Head of National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, issued an internal memo expressing deep grief, noting that the incident underscores the extreme and often overlooked risks that council employees endure to maintain the integrity of the examination process.

Restoring Stability

Following the backlash from parents, school administrators, and education stakeholders, management has quietly reinstated the 48-hour delivery policy. This longer window is designed to:

Allow dispatch teams to navigate security and road challenges with more flexibility and safety.

Ensure that question papers reach custodian centers well before the start of examinations, protecting the mental and psychological readiness of the candidates.

As the WASSCE continues, education advocates are now urging the council to conduct a comprehensive review of its security protocols to better balance the integrity of the examination with the safety of its personnel and the well-being of the students.