By: Julius Konton
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially commenced the full implementation of its long-anticipated Digital Certificate Services System, known as WAEC DigiCert, across all five of its member countries, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone marking a major milestone in the digital transformation of education administration in West Africa.
The launch represents one of the most significant technological reforms in WAEC’s more than 70-year history, as the Council continues efforts to modernize its services and enhance the integrity, accessibility, and security of academic credentials issued to millions of candidates annually.
A Digital Solution for a Regional Challenge
WAEC DigiCert is a mobile and web-based platform designed to allow candidates, institutions, employers, and government agencies to access, request, verify, confirm, and securely share digital versions of original WAEC certificates.
The system also enables candidates to recover lost or forgotten examination numbers, a long-standing challenge for graduates seeking employment or further education.
Each year, WAEC conducts examinations for over 3 million candidates across its member states, issuing millions of certificates that are frequently required for university admissions, employment verification, international credential assessments, and migration processes.
Until now, reliance on physical certificates has often resulted in delays, loss, forgery, and administrative bottlenecks.
Strengthening Trust and Authenticity
Speaking on the development, Dale Gbotoe, Head of WAEC in Liberia, described the digital platform as a reliable, secure, and cost-effective innovation.
“The system guarantees authenticity, significantly reduces the risk of forgery, and offers enormous cost and time savings for users,” Gbotoe said.
“Candidates no longer need to travel long distances or wait extended periods to access or verify their academic records.”
According to WAEC, each digital certificate issued through DigiCert is tamper-proof, traceable, and verifiable in real time, an important safeguard as certificate fraud remains a major concern for employers and institutions across Africa and beyond.
Successful Pilot and Global Acceptance
The full rollout follows a successful pilot phase in Nigeria, WAEC’s largest examination market, where the platform reportedly received overwhelmingly positive feedback from candidates, universities, credential evaluation agencies, and international institutions.
Educational bodies in Europe, North America, and Asia have increasingly demanded secure digital verification systems, particularly as African students pursue opportunities abroad.
WAEC DigiCert positions the Council to meet these global standards while aligning with international best practices in digital credentialing.
Balancing Innovation With Tradition
WAEC has assured the public that the introduction of DigiCert will not eliminate or disrupt the traditional printing and issuance of physical certificates. Instead, the digital system is intended to complement existing processes, giving candidates greater flexibility and faster access to their academic records.
“The digital certificate does not replace the physical one; it enhances accessibility and efficiency,” WAEC noted in a statement.
Access and Availability
The WAEC DigiCert application is now available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, supporting iOS and Android devices.
Users can also access the platform via the web, ensuring broad accessibility across varying levels of digital infrastructure within the sub-region.
A Step Toward Educational Digitalization
Education analysts describe the rollout as a critical step toward modernizing examination systems in West Africa, reducing bureaucracy, improving data security, and enhancing the global credibility of WAEC certificates.
As governments across the region push for digital governance and e-services, WAEC DigiCert stands as a flagship example of how legacy institutions can adapt to the demands of a rapidly evolving digital world while safeguarding the academic futures of millions of West African students.
