The Federal Government has taken a significant step towards the digitalisation of public examinations with the successful pilot of a computer-based test (CBT) during the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination for admission into Federal and State Technical Colleges.
The Ministry of Education announced on Sunday that the nationwide examination was conducted successfully across designated centres, marking another milestone in the government’s efforts to modernise Nigeria’s education assessment system.
In a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the exercise was coordinated by the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), with candidates sitting for both the conventional paper-based examination and a pilot CBT session.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, was represented during monitoring of the exercise by the Director of Technology and Science Education, Mrs. Patricia Ogungbemi, who visited examination centres, including the Federal Technical College, Orozo, and Government Secondary School, Garki, Abuja.
Speaking during the monitoring exercise, Ogungbemi encouraged students to consider technical and vocational education as a viable route to self-employment, innovation and national development.
She noted that graduates of technical colleges are equipped with practical skills that align with industry demands and can benefit from various government initiatives designed to promote entrepreneurship, job creation and economic growth.
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According to the ministry, a key highlight of the examination was the introduction of a pilot CBT programme aimed at assessing the nation’s readiness for a full transition to computer-based entrance examinations in the future.
The ministry said the successful conduct of both the traditional and digital examinations reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to leveraging technology to improve assessment standards, transparency and efficiency in the education sector.
The pilot initiative comes amid broader reforms aimed at digitising major public examinations across the country, following similar moves by examination bodies such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Education stakeholders have described the development as a positive step towards strengthening the quality of technical education and aligning Nigeria’s examination processes with global best practices.