Nigeria's National Examinations Council will commence computer based examinations this year, Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced on Thursday, marking a significant shift in the country's assessment system as the body celebrated 25 years of operation.

Alausa made the declaration at NECO's Silver Jubilee celebration held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Conference Centre in Garki, Abuja, describing the transition as a critical step toward curbing examination malpractice and repositioning Nigeria's assessment system for global competitiveness.

"We are at the threshold of a very important reform, which NECO is spearheading, and that is the Computer Based Examination, which is to commence this year," the minister stated.

He explained that the new system would provide real time monitoring of candidates, track suspicious activities, and drastically reduce examination fraud that has continued to erode public confidence in national examinations.

Alausa described NECO as a "standard bearer for credible external examinations," crediting the council with strengthening examination security, improving scoring reliability, widening access in underserved areas, and embracing technological innovations over its 25 year history.

The minister noted that NECO's journey reflected Nigeria's determination to build a credible national examination system capable of guaranteeing equal opportunities for learners across the country. He added that the Ministry of Education would continue to provide policy direction and oversight to ensure NECO examinations aligned with national curricula, learning outcomes, and broader development goals.

Alausa stressed that the future of educational assessment must go beyond rote learning to embrace 21st century competencies, including critical thinking, problem solving, and digital literacy.