The Federal Government has launched a nationwide Learner Identification Number system, issuing digital IDs to over 1.9 million candidates registered for the 2026 examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council and the National Examinations Council.

The initiative, announced by the Federal Ministry of Education, is designed to assign every student a permanent and traceable academic identity to support learning continuity, improve education planning, and enable timely intervention in the education system.

In a statement on Friday signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the government said the system is aimed at ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to structured and verifiable educational records.

Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, described the reform as a key milestone in the transformation of the education sector, aligning it with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda focused on human capital development and technology-driven governance.

“This initiative marks a turning point in our education system. By assigning every learner a unique number, we are building a structure that supports each child’s journey from classroom to career, while ensuring that no one is left behind,” the minister said.

According to the ministry, over 1.9 million candidates already registered for the 2026 WAEC and NECO examinations have been issued their Learner Identification Numbers in the first phase of the rollout.

It said the system represents a major step in strengthening education data management and improving the integrity of public examinations nationwide.

The Learner Identification Number is a unique and permanent identifier assigned to each student, enabling tracking of academic progress across different levels of education.

Each code contains structured information, including state, local government area, school, and a unique student identifier, allowing records to remain consistent even when learners change schools or relocate.

The system is built on the Digitised National Education Management Information System, which already provides a national database of schools, each assigned a unique identification number.

Officials said linking students to verified school records would enhance examination verification, reduce impersonation, and strengthen the credibility of national assessments.

Beyond examinations, the ministry said the platform would help identify out-of-school children, track student progression, detect dropouts, and support targeted educational interventions.

It added that the system is fully digital and integrated into national education data frameworks, describing it as a major step toward modernising education management in the country.

The ministry also disclosed that the next phase of implementation will extend the identification system to all learners in public and private schools nationwide through national data systems and the Annual School Census.

Stakeholders, including schools, examination bodies, parents and students, were urged to support full compliance with the new identification framework. (The Punch News)

•PHOTO:The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa. Credit: X | Maruf Tunji Alausa

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