History

The aim of this West African Examinations Council History Syllabus (WAEC) 2026 is to prepare the candidates for the Board's examinations. The syllabus will test candidates’;

(a) knowledge of their national histories from earliest times to 2000 with emphasis on the relationship between the peoples and states;

(b) intellectual capacity and skills of historical interpretation and analysis;

(c) ability to use acquired skills in relating the past to the present;

(d) appreciation of factors that make for national unity and global understanding;

(e) exposure and appreciation of the similarities and differences in the National, social and political institutions;

(f) knowledge of the main historical developments in West Africa from earliest times to 2000;

(g) ability to relate events in their country and West Africa to those of the outside world;

(h) ability to present clear, relevant and logical arguments.

 

To achieve these aims, the examination shall consist of two papers, Papers 1 and 2; both of which must be taken.

PAPER 1 will cover West Africa and the Wider World from the earliest times to 2000.
PAPER 2 will be on the national histories of The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone from the earliest times to 2000.

 

EXAMINATION SCHEME

There will be two papers – Paper 1 and Paper 2, both of which must be taken. The papers will be composite and will be taken at one sitting.

PAPER 1: This will be a multiple-choice objective test of fifty items. Candidates will be required to answer all the questions in 1 hour for 40 marks.

PAPER 2: This will be a 2 hour essay type test containing sets of questions on the histories of member counties. Each set shall be made up of three sections, Sections A, B and C.

The sections for the sets of questions for Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Liberia shall be on the following periods of their histories:

Section A .. .. .. From the earliest times to the 1800
Section B .. .. .. 19th Century
Section C .. .. .. 1900 – 2000

Each section, for each country, shall have three questions. Candidates will be required to answer questions on the countries in which they are taking the examination ie their home countries. They will answer four questions in all, choosing at least one question from each section. The paper will carry 60 marks.

 

PAPER 1: For all candidates

WEST AFRICA AND THE WIDER WORLD FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO 2000

1. Historiography and Historical Skills
What is History and why do we study History? Sources of History; Historical skills (ancient and modern approaches); Prospect of ICT in historical studies.

2. Trans – Saharan Trade
Origin, organization and the effects on the development of West African states.

3. Islam in West Africa
Introduction, spread and effects.

4. European Contact with West Africa
Reasons for their coming, immediate effects and West African reaction

5. Trans-Atlantic slave trade
Origin, organization, effects and suppression.

6. Christian Missionary Activities in West Africa
The suppression of slave trade. Christian Missionary activities and their impact on West Africa.

7. The Scramble for and Partition of West Africa
The Industrial Revolution, Scramble for colonies, Colonial subjugation, Occupation and West African reaction.

8. Colonial Rule in West Africa
Patterns of colonial rule, consolidation of European culture in Africa, colonial economy and the underdevelopment of Africa: colonial Africa and the two World Wars.

9. Problems of independent West African States
Nature of politics: neo-colonialism and economic underdevelopment, unequal development within states and instability, the Military in West African politics, boundary disputes and threat to West African Unity.

10. West Africa and international organizations
(i) United Nations Organization (U.N.O.)/United Nations (U.N);
(ii) Organization of African Unity (O.A.U)/African Union (A.U.);
(iii) Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); Etc.
Membership, aims and objectives, achievements and failures.

 

PAPER 2: NATIONAL HISTORIES OF NIGERIA  UP TO 2000

 

SECTION A: NIGERIA FROM EARLIEST TIMES TO 1800

1. Historiography and historical skills
What is History and why we study History; sources of History; Historical skills (ancient and modern approaches); Prospect of ICT in Historical Studies.

2. Land and peoples of Nigeria:
Main geographical zones in Nigeria: impact of the environment on human activities e.g. hunting, fishing, farming, etc.

3. Centers of ancient civilization: Nok, Ife, Igbo Ukwu, Benin.

4. (a) Centralized and non-centralized states:
(i) Kanem and Borno;
(ii) Hausa;
(iii) Nupe;
(iv) Oyo;
(v) Benin;
(vi) Igbo;
(vii) Efik;
(viii) Tiv.

(b) Inter-group relations: economic activities, intermarriages, bilingualism, etc.

(c) Impact of migrations; wars and politics on inter- group relations.

5. Indigenous crafts and industries; Pottery, salt making, iron working, gold mining, soap making, leather works, weaving, carving, bronze casting, tie and dyeing, bead making, boat building – technology; social and economic importance.

6. External Influences
a) Contact with North Africa: trans-Saharan trade, Islam(Borno and Hausaland) and impact

(b) Early European contact with coastal states; trade, Christianity and impact

7. Nigeria and the trans-Atlantic slave trade Origin, organization and effects

 

SECTION B: NIGERIA IN THE 19TH CENTURY

8. The Sokoto Caliphate:
Establishment, administration, relations with its neighbours and impact of the Sokoto jihad on Nigeria

9. Borno under the Shehus:
The emergence of El-Kanemi, developments under El-Kanemi and Shehu Umar, development under the later Shehus, the fall of Borno.

10. Christian Missionary Activities – activities, impact.

11. Yoruba land in the 19th century
Era of Ibadan dominance; increased British pressure on Yorubaland;

12. Benin in the 19th century

13. The first phase of the British conquest of Nigeria: 1851-1900

 

SECTION C: NIGERIA FROM 1900 TO 2000

14. The second phase of the British conquest in Nigeria 1900- 1960
a. The early phase 1900-1914: the amalgamation of 1914 and its significance
b. Later phase 1914-1960
(i) central administration;
(ii) indirect rule;
(iii) the colonial economy;
(iv) social developments.

15. The decolonization process in Nigeria, 1922-1960
Origin of nationalism, nationalist movements after the Second World War, the road to and the attainment of independence.

16. Nigeria since independence
a. the First Republic, 1960-1966;
b. the coups d’etat, military rule, civil war and reconstruction, 1966-1975;
c. the military administration - Murtala/Obasanjo regime of 1975-1979;
d. the Second Republic, 1979-1983;
e. the return of military rule - Buhari/Idiagbon regime, 1983-1984
f. The Ibrahim Babangida regime, 1985-1993
g. Interim national government and Abacha regime, 1993-1998;
h. Transition to fourth republic and Olusegun Obasanjo administration;
i. Emerging issues up to 2000: poverty, corruption, youth unemployment, religious crisis, terrorism, etc.

17. Nigeria and the
a. United Nations Organization (U.N.O.)/United Nations (U.N);
b. Commonwealth of Nations;
c. Organization of Unity (O.A.U)/African Union (A.U.);
d. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS);
e. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

18. Global issues
West Africa in Diaspora; Racism, Debt relief and International aids; Peacekeeping and socio-political interest of developed societies; World peace (armament, nuclear science); Millennium Development Goals (MDGS).