Common WAEC/NECO/NABTEB Result Checking Errors, Meanings and Solutions

These are common issues you might encounter when trying to check your WAEC, NECO, GCE or NABTEB results.

Imagine you try to check your results, then you’re greeted with any of these errors:

• Result Not Available for the Candidates this Year
• INVALID CARDS SUPPLIED (Incorrect PIN or Serial Number)
• Website Can’t Be Reached Error (Connection Interrupted)
• Cards Already Used by Another Candidate
• Cards are Already Being Used for the maximum number times Allowed
• Another Candidate’s Result Displayed After Checking My Result
• Outstanding and Pending Displayed Among my Grades

1. Result Not Available for the Candidate This Year

This error often happens if a student enters the wrong exam number, exam type, or year. For example, if you enter 2020 instead of 2021, you might get this error. Similarly, if you enter an exam number that doesn’t exist or select the wrong exam type (like choosing ‘private candidate results’ when it should be ‘school candidate result’, or vice versa), you’ll encounter the same problem.

When a candidate asked from WAEC,

I went to the WAEC portal and filled in the required details only to see a page telling me there is no result for the candidate in the specified year. Please what do I do?

Their response was really not straightforward

We advise you to keep checking at intervals because the website may be updated subsequently or visit the nearest WAEC office for assistance.

To make sure everything is correct, double-check the year, exam number, and exam type before you press the check button.

Actually, if you enter a valid exam number that belongs to someone else, you’ll check their results instead of yours, and the card will be used up for the wrong person.

2. Invalid Card Details

This error occurs if you use the wrong PIN or serial number when checking the result. It could be the e-PIN that’s wrong or the serial number that’s wrong, or even both.

kindly double-check the numbers in both the PIN and serial number spaces to make sure they are accurate. This should fix the problem.

3. Website Can’t Be Reached Error

This error or something like it might happen when the website is very busy. Especially in the first few days of result checking, candidates could experience problems due to a lot of people trying to connect at once.

When a student asked WAEC about this,

I have been trying to check my result but the WAEC page is not loading?

WAEC’s answer was easy to understand

Please be informed that it could either be your internet connection that is not connecting properly or as a result of the high traffic to the result checking site. We advise you give it some time before trying again. www.waecdirect.org

So, for this error:

• Just make sure your internet connection is strong, and you have data for browsing.
• You can wait a few hours before trying again. Checking late at night or early in the morning may help

4. Cards Already Used by Another Candidate

This error occurs if the PIN/Serial Number you’re using to check the result was already used for a different exam number. It could have been used by you or another candidate. The access PIN was previously activated for a different exam number, not the one you’re trying to use it for now.

Because only one e-PIN can only be used for one exam number, this is what caused the error. Therefore, you need to purchase a new card to check your results.

According to the exams body,

You can only use one e-PIN Voucher to check one result. To check another result of interest, you will require a new e-PIN Voucher. If you misuse an e-PIN Voucher by attempting to check another result different from yours, you will have to purchase another one to check your result.

Note:

Your result checker e-PIN Voucher purchased in the previous year is still active for use in the next year but you can only use one e-PIN Voucher to check one result. To check another (different) result, you will require a new e-PIN Voucher

5. Card Already Used for the Maximum Number of Times Allowed

The error message can also say ‘RESULT CHECKER COUNT EXCEEDED (5).’ This error appears when you’ve used your card’s PIN/serial number or TOKEN (for NECO) five times already. In simple terms, once you’ve checked your results five times with the same card, you’ll see this error.

You might not know that when you were trying to check your results and getting network errors or couldn’t reach the website, the website was still counting the number of times you tried, so look for a strong internet connection while checking.

According to NECO,

You may check your result up to a maximum of 5 (five) times with the use of 1 (one) e-PIN. In order to check further after exhausting the allowed 5 (five) times, you will need to purchase another e-PIN which will entitle you to another 5 (five) result checks.

So, buy a new card or token to print the same result.

6. Another Candidate’s Result Displayed After Checking My Result

This isn’t an error caused by WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB. It’s definitely your mistake. You likely entered another student’s exam number.

A student also asked the same question.

I checked my WAEC result with the center and Examination number being given to me but I saw someone else’s result. Please help

In response, WAEC explained where the candidate might have gotten things wrong.

Please be informed that WAEC examination numbers are reused every year and the only unique difference is the examination year. Please change the exam year to the year you took your exam. However, you will have to purchase a new WAEC result checker e-PIN Voucher to do this. Thank you.

A candidate might have also made a mistake with their exam number. Even if the Exam center is the same, if you make a mistake in the last three digits (which represent your seat number in WAEC or NABTEB), you’ll end up checking another candidate’s result.

7. Outstanding and Pending Displayed Among my Grades

It’s not exactly an error. Sometimes, the exam authorities might not release certain results because of specific concerns. That’s why you might still see ‘OUTSTANDING’ or ‘PENDING’ for some or all of your results.

A candidate asked this.

My result is displaying outstanding. Please help as I need it for admission.

here was the WAEC’s response.

Kindly note that results that are outstanding can be traced to various issues. You can keep checking the portal for updates on outstanding results. Thank you.

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