FG don issue digital ID to 1.9 million WAEC, NECO students

Na big news for education sector today as Federal Government don roll out digital learner ID for over 1.9 million students wey dey write WAEC and NECO exams for 2026.

This new system wey dem call Learner Identification Number na permanent digital identity wey go follow each student from primary school reach university. Na Federal Ministry of Education announce am for Friday, say dem wan use am track students progress and reduce exam malpractice.

Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, yarn say this initiative na turning point for Nigeria education system. “By assigning every learner a unique number, we are building a structure that supports each child’s journey from classroom to career,” Alausa talk. Him say the system align with President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda wey focus on technology-driven governance.

For this first phase, over 1.9 million candidates wey already register for 2026 WAEC and NECO exams don collect their digital IDs. Each ID contain details like state, local government area, school, and unique student identifier. Even if student change school or relocate, the record go remain consistent.

The system dey run on Digitised National Education Management Information System wey already get national database of schools. Officials say linking students to verified school records go help reduce impersonation during exams and make national assessments more credible.

But this digital ID no be only for exam purposes. Ministry say the platform go help identify out-of-school children, track student progression, and detect dropouts early. E go also support targeted educational interventions across the country.

Director of Press and Public Relations for ministry, Boriowo Folasade, explain say the system aim make every Nigerian child get access to structured and verifiable educational records. “This na major step toward modernising education management for Nigeria,” Folasade add.

Next phase of implementation go extend the identification system to all learners for public and private schools nationwide. Dem go use national data systems and Annual School Census achieve this expansion.

Ministry don urge stakeholders including schools, examination bodies like West African Examinations Council and National Examinations Council, parents, and students to support full compliance with the new identification framework.

Some education experts wey we talk to say this initiative fit help solve long-standing problems for Nigeria education sector. “If dem implement am well, e go reduce cases where people dey write exam for other people,” one secondary school principal for Lagos talk.

But some parents still dey ask questions about data privacy and how dem go protect their children information. Ministry officials assure say the system get strong security measures and e dey fully integrated into national education data frameworks.

This digital learner ID initiative come after federal government recent measures to tackle examination malpractice for Senior School Certificate Examination. Dem say the new system go work alongside existing reforms to improve education quality nationwide.

As dem roll out this technology-driven solution, all eyes dey on how e go affect 2026 exams and whether e go actually reduce the malpractice wey don plague Nigeria examination system for years.