Workers under the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in Nigeria have commenced a three-day nationwide protest over unresolved welfare concerns and alleged unfair labour practices.
The action, organised by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), began on Wednesday at the WAEC national office in Yaba, Lagos, with simultaneous protests across regional and state offices nationwide from about 8:00 a.m.
The union said the protest followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to WAEC management over nine key demands, including allegations of irregular recruitment processes, poor working conditions, and other welfare-related grievances.
The industrial action is taking place while WAEC is currently conducting the 2026 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) across five member countries — Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Liberia — with about 1.96 million candidates from over 24,000 schools participating.
Despite concerns, WAEC Nigeria’s Head of National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, had earlier assured stakeholders that the examination would run smoothly, saying measures were already in place to prevent disruptions experienced in previous editions.
However, the aggrieved workers insisted the protest became necessary after management allegedly failed to address long-standing issues, despite earlier warnings and communications from the union.
NASU’s national leadership had earlier issued a formal notice dated May 5, 2026, outlining the grievances and demanding immediate action on what it described as questionable recruitment and welfare-related concerns.
The union, through its General Secretary Peters Adeyemi, warned that failure to respond within the stipulated timeframe would trigger industrial action, stating that members had lost patience over unresolved matters.
NASU-WAEC Chairman, Kayode Ogunyade, said the protest — scheduled daily from 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon for three days — is intended to pressure management into reopening negotiations.
According to him, the demonstration serves as both a protest and a warning over growing frustration among workers, adding that further steps would depend on directives from the national leadership.
In response, WAEC, through its Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, assured candidates, parents and stakeholders that the ongoing examinations would not be disrupted by the protest.
She reaffirmed that WAEC remains committed to ensuring a smooth and credible examination process, stressing that appropriate arrangements have been made to maintain continuity despite the industrial action.
The council also stated that it respects the rights of workers to express grievances legally and peacefully, adding that discussions with the union are ongoing to resolve the issues.
WAEC further dismissed allegations of mass dismissals and unfair sanctions, insisting that all disciplinary actions were taken in line with its staff handbook and established regulations.
It also explained that recent adjustments to the examination timetable were due to restructuring of subjects from 76 to 38, aimed at improving efficiency in the conduct of the WASSCE.
The council added that the use of contract examination officers is part of broader efforts to manage workload and strengthen examination delivery across the sub-region.
WAEC urged the public to ignore misinformation capable of causing panic, reaffirming its commitment to delivering credible, uninterrupted and reliable examination services to candidates.
