WAEC GCE 2026 Second Series Registration: Fee/ Closing Date and Guidelines; The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced the commencement of registration for the 2026 Second Series West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for Private Candidates, commonly known as WAEC GCE.
Candidates who intend to sit for the examination are required to complete their registration online, pay the approved registration fee and fulfil the required biometric capturing process before the stated deadlines.
What Is the WAEC GCE 2026 Second Series?
The WAEC GCE 2026 Second Series is the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for Private Candidates. It is designed for candidates registering independently rather than through the regular school-based WASSCE process.
The examination will be computer-based.
Objective papers will be conducted fully as CBT examinations, while essay and practical papers will follow a hybrid format. Questions will be displayed on a computer screen, while candidates will write their answers in provided answer booklets.
How Much Is WAEC GCE 2026 Second Series Registration?
The WAEC GCE 2026 Second Series registration fee is ₦27,000.
Candidates are also required to pay an additional ₦500 commission to the approved bank or accredited agent handling the payment.
Candidates who register as walk-in candidates will pay ₦45,000.
When Will WAEC GCE 2026 Second Series Registration Close?
The deadline for the generation of the Registration PIN is Friday, 28 August 2026.
Candidates must complete their biometric capturing and online registration by 11:59 pm on Sunday, 30 August 2026.
Each candidate is expected to complete the registration within two weeks of first accessing the WAEC registration website, provided that the first access takes place within the approved registration period.
Candidates should therefore avoid waiting until the final day to complete the process.
How Will Candidates Register for WAEC GCE 2026 Second Series?
Candidates are required to purchase the Registration PIN and then visit the WAEC GCE registration portal to complete the online registration.
The registration process includes biometric capturing, which WAEC will use to validate candidates at examination centres.
Candidates should carefully read and complete every field before submitting their entries. WAEC will not accept requests to amend details supplied during registration.
Where Can Candidates Buy the WAEC GCE Registration PIN?
Candidates can purchase the Registration PIN from approved banks, accredited agents, WAEC offices, cybercafes and WAEC Registration Points.
Candidates should ensure that they provide accurate information when completing the online registration after purchasing the PIN.
Which Banks Are Approved for WAEC GCE Payment?
Candidates can make payment through any of the approved banks listed below:
- Access Bank Plc
- Ecobank Plc
- Fidelity Bank Plc
- First Bank of Nigeria
- First City Monument Bank Plc
- Guaranty Trust Bank Plc
- Heritage Bank Plc
- Jaiz Bank
- Polaris Bank Ltd
- Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc
- Standard Chartered Bank Plc
- Sterling Bank Plc
- Union Bank of Nigeria Plc
- United Bank for Africa Plc
- Unity Bank Plc
- WEMA Bank Plc
- Zenith Bank Plc
Which Cashless Channels Can Candidates Use?
Candidates can also purchase a registration token using a credit or debit card through the approved cashless payment channels.
The listed channels are:
- Bancwize Limited
- Bring Africa
- Broadshift Technologies Ltd
- Citiserve Ltd
- Xpress Payment
- Paga
- PalmPay
- Paycom
- System Specs Ltd
- Interswitch
- Coralpay
- Etranzact
- IQ Pay
- Cyberspace Ltd
- Fidelity Bank
- Itex
- Unified Payments
- UBA
- Capricorn Ltd
- Kudi
What Should Walk-In Candidates Know?
Candidates who register after the normal entry period may still be accepted as Walk-in Candidates.
WAEC requires walk-in candidates to register at least 24 hours before the scheduled time of the examination paper or papers they intend to write.
The walk-in registration fee is ₦45,000.
How Will Candidates With Special Needs Register?
Candidates with special needs will complete their registration online like other candidates.
They are required to clearly indicate their impairment during registration. The listed categories include:
- Visual
- Low vision
- Spastic
- Speech
- Hard of hearing
- Other applicable conditions
Providing the correct information allows WAEC to record the candidate’s needs for the examination process.
What Should Candidates Check Before Final Submission?
Candidates should carefully review all personal and examination information before submitting their registration.
The details to check include:
- Name
- Gender
- Passport photograph
- Date of birth
- Subjects
WAEC will not take responsibility for errors in candidates’ details. Candidates should therefore verify all information before final submission.
What Happens After Successful WAEC GCE Registration?
After completing the registration successfully, candidates should print their Admission Notice.
The Admission Notice will serve as an identification document during the examination. The Result Checker PIN will also appear on the notice.
Candidates must take the original Admission Notice to the examination hall.
Which Fingerprint Scanner Is Accepted?
The approved fingerprint scanner for biometric capturing is the UareU DigitalPersona fingerprint device.
Candidates should ensure that their biometric capturing is completed properly during the registration process.
What Is the WAEC GCE Exam Mode for the 2026 Second Series?
The 2026 Second Series examination will be conducted as a computer-based test.
Objective papers will be fully CBT.
Essay and practical papers will be conducted using a hybrid examination format, where questions appear on the computer screen while candidates write their answers in answer booklets.
Will WAEC Hold a Mock Examination?
WAEC will conduct an online mock examination for interested registered candidates who want to familiarise themselves with the CBT testing environment.
Information about the date and procedure for the mock examination will be communicated to candidates through SMS, email and WAEC social media platforms.
How Can Candidates Prepare for the CBT Examination?
Candidates should practise regularly with CBT materials before the examination begins.
Private candidates can prepare using past questions and answers through the MySchoolGist CBT Android and iOS applications or the WAEC CBT Software.
Regular practice can help candidates become more familiar with the computer-based examination format before sitting for the actual papers.
What Passport Photograph Rules Apply?
Candidates must provide a passport photograph captured with a digital camera.
The specified digital camera is Microsoft HD 3000.
The passport photograph may be in colour or black and white, provided that it meets WAEC’s stated technical requirements.
The photograph must meet the following specifications:
- JPEG file format only
- 275 by 314 pixels
- 72 dpi resolution
- Contrasting background
Candidates must not use items that obstruct the face in their passport photographs.
A defaced or poor-quality passport photograph can invalidate the candidate’s entry.
What General Rules Should Candidates Follow?
Candidates should read the registration rules carefully before completing their entries and before attending the examination.
The following rules apply:
- The registration fee is non-refundable.
- Candidates should regularly check the WAEC website for the examination timetable.
- Candidates should visit the WAEC Nigeria website for further information.
- Candidates should download and study the relevant Regulations and Syllabuses from the WAEC website using the Registration PIN.
- Candidates must attend the examination hall in mufti and without arms.
- Professional uniforms of any kind are not permitted inside the examination hall.
- WAEC will cancel the entire result of a candidate who sits for the examination in more than one centre.
- Smoking is prohibited inside the examination hall.
- Candidates who enter the examination hall with mobile phones or other electronic gadgets will have their results cancelled.
- Candidates involved in examination malpractice may lose their results and face prosecution.
- Candidates should provide valid email addresses and telephone numbers during registration.
What Is the Best Way to Avoid WAEC GCE Registration Errors?
Candidates should complete the registration form carefully and review every field before submitting their information.
Before finalising the registration, candidates should confirm their personal details, examination subjects, date of birth, gender and passport photograph.
They should also ensure that biometric capturing has been completed correctly and that they print and safely keep their Admission Notice after successful registration.
Candidates should use an approved payment channel, complete the registration within the stated deadline and keep all relevant registration documents for the examination.
