The West African Examinations Council Staff have commenced a three day nationwide protest on Wednesday over unresolved welfare demands, even as the council moved swiftly to reassure 1,959,636 candidates sitting the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination that the exercise would continue without disruption.

The protest, organised by the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, began at the WAEC national office in Yaba, Lagos, at 8:00 a.m., with parallel actions held simultaneously at regional and state offices across the country. The action, scheduled to run from 7:30 a.m. to 12 noon daily for three days, followed the expiration of a seven day ultimatum issued to WAEC management on May 5, 2026.

NASU General Secretary Peters Adeyemi signed the ultimatum letter, which listed nine demands, including allegations of irregular recruitment practices, suspension of staff upgrade programmes, imposition of a minimum net pay policy, constitution of investigative panels without union consultation and changes to the WASSCE examination structure.

NASU Chairman at WAEC, Kayode Ogunyade, confirmed that the protest was intended to compel management back to the negotiation table.

"The protest is to press home our demands and get management back to the table," Ogunyade stated. "If these issues are not addressed, it simply means management is not ready to resolve them."

He added that any further action beyond the three day protest would be determined by NASU national leadership.

WAEC, through Acting Head of Public Affairs Moyosola Adesina, dismissed the union's allegations and maintained that the examination had continued uninterrupted.

"We wish to state categorically that the future of our candidates remains our topmost priority. The management of the Council is in dialogue with the union. Furthermore, we have put in place adequate measures to ensure that the examination schedule remains undisturbed," the council stated.

WAEC clarified that the reduction in examination days resulted from the streamlining of subjects from 76 to 38, and denied allegations of indiscriminate staff dismissal, stating that all disciplinary matters were handled strictly in line with its staff handbook and statutory provisions.

The council also explained that the engagement of contract Examination Officers was a deliberate measure to manage increasing workloads across the sub region, and urged the public to disregard any rumours capable of causing panic over the conduct of the examination.

The 2026 WASSCE, which involves candidates from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Liberia, began on April 21 and is scheduled to conclude on June 19.