WAEC 2026 private results show improvement as 32.72% of candidates secure five credits including English and Maths

The West African Examinations Council has reported that 32.72 per cent of candidates who sat the 2026 First Series of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for Private Candidates obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.

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The WAEC 2026 private results, released on Friday, indicate a marginal improvement of 5.76 percentage points compared to the 2025 First Series performance.

According to the council, 10,480 candidates sat the computer-based examination conducted between January 28 and February 14, 2026, across 166 centres nationwide. Of this number, 3,429 candidates met the benchmark requirement of five credits, including English and Mathematics.

A breakdown of the successful candidates shows that 1,847, representing 53.86 per cent, were male, while 1,582, or 46.14 per cent, were female.

The council noted that performance in this category had fluctuated in recent years, with 30.95 per cent recorded in 2024 and 26.96 per cent in 2025, underscoring the current improvement.

In a broader performance measure, WAEC disclosed that 4,598 candidates, representing 43.87 per cent, obtained at least five credits with or without English Language and Mathematics.

A total of 10,523 candidates registered for the examination, reflecting an 11.49 per cent increase compared to the 2025 entry figure.

Of those who sat the examination, 8,418 candidates, or 80.32 per cent, have had their results fully processed and released, while 2,062 candidates still have some subjects pending due to errors attributed to them.

The council said efforts were ongoing to complete the processing of outstanding results to ensure all affected candidates receive their full outcomes promptly.

In a notable inclusion, 43 candidates with special needs participated in the examination, including visually impaired and hearing-impaired candidates, all of whom were provided with necessary support.

WAEC also disclosed that 75 candidates, representing 0.72 per cent of the total, had their results withheld over alleged examination malpractice, with investigations currently underway.

Candidates have been advised to check their results online via the council’s official portal and access their digital certificates through designated platforms.

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The latest figures reflect a cautious but encouraging trend in performance, even as stakeholders continue to monitor standards and integrity in the examination system.