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How to Check WAEC Results Online in Nigeria

WAEC By Genuine Pins 3 min read

WAEC publishes WASSCE results on its result checker portal, WAEC Direct. Checking takes a couple of minutes once you have the right details in front of you. This guide walks through the online form, the SMS option and the errors candidates run into most often.

What you need before you start

  • Your 10-digit examination number. It is your 7-digit centre number followed by your 3-digit candidate number, for example 4123456789.
  • Your examination year, as four digits.
  • The type of examination: school candidate (May/June) or private candidate (GCE).
  • A WAEC result checker PIN and its serial number. You can buy a WAEC scratch card online and receive both by email.

How to check your WAEC result on the portal

  1. Go to www.waecdirect.org.
  2. Enter your 10-digit WAEC examination number.
  3. Enter the four digits of your examination year.
  4. Select the type of examination: School Candidate Results or Private Candidate Results.
  5. Enter the serial number of your result checker (WAEC calls it the e-PIN voucher number).
  6. Enter the PIN.
  7. Click Submit and wait for the results window to open.

When the result appears, print it or save it as a PDF straight away. You will need copies for admission and screening, and saving one means you do not have to spend another use of your PIN later.

How to check your WAEC result by SMS

WAEC also offers an SMS service. Send a message in this format to the short code 32327:

WAEC*ExamNo*PIN*ExamYear

For example: WAEC*4250101001*123456789012*2026. Do not add spaces. Your network charges for the message, and the result is delivered to your phone by SMS. The online portal is the better choice when you need a printable copy.

Common problems and what they mean

  • "Result not available for this candidate" usually means the examination year or type is wrong, or the result has not been released. Check both fields before trying again.
  • A message that the PIN has been used by another candidate means the PIN was first used with a different examination number. A PIN stays tied to the first candidate it checks.
  • "Withheld" or "Held" against a result comes from WAEC, not from the PIN. Your school or the WAEC office can tell you why.
  • The page fails to load after you submit. Do not keep resubmitting on a weak connection. Wait, then try again on a stable network, preferably on a computer.

How many times can one PIN be used?

A WAEC result checker PIN can be used up to five times, for one candidate only. We explain this fully in How many times can you use a WAEC scratch card?

Where to get a PIN

If you do not have one yet, see how to buy a WAEC scratch card online, or go straight to the WAEC scratch card page.

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