Igbo

The aim of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) 2026 syllabus in Igbo is to prepare the candidates for the Board’s examination. The objectives of the syllabus are as follows:

To enable candidates to speak, read and write Igbo properly and communicate effectively in it;
To familiarize them with the sound system, grammatical structures and other features of the Igbo language;
To expose the candidates to Igbo culture – customs, institutions, worldview, etc;
To provide them with the necessary tools needed for creative writing and appreciation of Igbo language and literature.

SCHEME OF EXAMINATION

The examination shall consist of two papers,

Papers 1 and 2; both of which shall constitute a composite paper and shall be taken at one sitting. The rubrics of the papers shall be written in Igbo. Candidates will be required to answer all the questions in Igbo using the standard orthography metalanguage.

PAPER 1 will consist of sixty multiple choice objective questions all of which should be answered within 1 hour for 60 marks. The paper will have three sections, Sections A, B and C. The questions in the sections will cover the following aspects of the subject:

Section A: Language
Section B: Literature
Section C: Culture

Section A: Language
This will contain thirty multiple choice questions on language distributed as follows:

Comprehension (2 short passages) - 10 items
Composition/letter writing - 4 items
Sound system - 6 items
Grammar - 6 items
Translation - 4 items
Total - 30 items

Section B:
Literature Will contain twenty-two multiple choice questions on literature distributed as follows:

Basic Principles of Literary Appreciation - 4 items
Oral Literature - Prose - 3 items
Poetry - 3 items
Drama - 3 items
Written Literature - Prose - 3 items
Poetry - 3 items
Drama - 3 items
Total - 22 items

In this section, all questions other than those on Basic Principles of Literary Appreciation will be based on the setbooks for Paper 2

This will contain eight multiple choice questions on culture distributed as follows:

Customs – 4 items
Institutions – 4 items
8 items TOTAL: (30+22+8) = 60 items

PAPER 2:

Will be a composition test and will also have three sections, Section A, B and C. The sections will cover the parts of the syllabus indicated below.

Section A: Language
Section B: Literature
Section C: Culture

Candidates will be required to answer six out of the total of thirteen questions to be made available. The paper will take 2 hours to complete and carry 100 marks.
Further details on the structure of the paper as well as its requirements are given below.

Section A: Essay

This section will consist of the following three parts, Parts I, II and III:

Part I – Composition/Letter writing
Part II – Sound System
Part III – Grammar

Part I: Composition/ Letter Writing
Candidates are advised not to spend more than 45 minutes on this section. There will be five topics from the following essay types and candidates will be expected to write on one of them in about 300 words:

(1) Narrative;
(2) Descriptive;
(3) Argumentative;
(4) Expository;
(5) Dialogue;
(6) Debate;
(7) Letter writing.

Part II: Sound system
Two questions will be set for candidates to answer one of them. The questions will test candidate’s basic knowledge of the following areas:

(a) Igbo Phonemes: Vowels, Consonants, the Syllabic nasal,
(i) their production, and
(ii) their classification.

(b) Syllable Structure.

(d) Tone and tone notation.

(e) The Igbo alphabet.

Part III: Grammar
Two questions will be set for candidates to answer one of them. The questions will test candidate’s knowledge of the following areas:

(a) Spelling rules.
(b) Word formation.
(c) Igbo dialects and Standard Igbo.
(d) Loan words.
(e) Igbo metalanguage (new words).
(f) Word classes: The noun, verb, pronoun, conjunction, preposition, etc.
(g) Grammatical categories: tense, number and person.
(h) Phrases and Clauses: their types and functions.
(i) Sentences: i. their constituents and types. ii. Sentences containing Direct and Indirect Speech.
(j) Lexis and Structure.
(k) Punctuation marks.

Section B: Literature
This section will consist of two parts, Parts I and II as follows:

Part I: Oral Literature – Prose, Poetry and Drama
Part II: Written Literature – Prose, Poetry and Drama

Part I: Oral Literature
Three questions will be set for this part and candidates will be required to answer only one of them. All questions in this section will be based on the prescribed texts. In this part, candidates will be required to have basic knowledge of the following:

(a) Definiton and characteristics of oral Literature
(b) Classification and functions
(c) Literary devices
(d) Folktales (ifo)
(e) Anecdotes (ụkabụilu)
(f) Legends (nkọkịrịkọ/akụkọ dike)
(g) Myths (nkọmịrịkọ/akụkọokike/mmalite)
(h) Poems (abụ)
(i) Songs (uri)
(j) Proverbs (ilu)
(k) Riddles (agwụgwa)
(l) Chants (mbem)
(m) Oral drama (ejije ọnụ)
(n) Tongue twisters (okwuntụhi)

Part II: Written Literature
Three questions will be set for this part and candidates will be required to attempt only one. All questions in this section will be based on the prescribed texts.

Section C:Culture
Two questions will be set on culture and candidates will be required to attempt only one. Candidates should be familiar with Igbo customs and institutions as aspects of the culture. The following areas will be covered.

Customs – Omenala
(a)i. Njirimara ndị Igbo-asụsụ, ejiji, omenala, ekpemekpe , agbambọ, dg.
ii. Ekele ndị Igbo n’oge dị icheiche.

(b) Mmemme -ọjị, ịtụ nzụ, ịkwọ aka ụtụtụ, ịgọ ọfọ, dg.

(d) Ọmụmụ nwa - ile ọmụgwọ, ibi ugwu, ikupụta nwa, ịgụ aha, ịzụ ahịa nwa, ịhụ eze, dg.

(e) Nkwenye - ịlọ ụwa, ọgbanje, nrọ, ihi/isi anụ, ịha/ịchụ mmiri, dg.

(f) Emume - ọfala, ịbọ ụzọ, ịwa ji/iri ji, igbu ewuukwu,iru mgbede, ịwa akwa, akwamozu, ịgba mkpe, ịgụ afọ, mbarị, ụdara, dg.

(g) Egwuregwu – egwu ụmụaka, ịgba/ịchụ oro, ịtụ okwe, ịzụ nchọrọkọtọ, ịkpọ okwe, mgba, ịkpọ ọga, okoso, egwu ọnwa, dg.

(h) Nsọala/Arụ - ihensọ, ebensọ, anụnsọ, osisinsọ, ime ibeeṅe.

Institutions – Ewumewu
(a) Ewumewu ọchịchị - ezinaụlọ, ndị eze ọdịnala, nze na ọzọ, ụmụọkpụ/ụmụada, otu ọgbọ, otu nzuzo, otu inyomdi, ụmụnna, ogbe, obodo.

(b) Ewumewu mmekọrịta mmadụ na ibe ya - alụmalụ, ezinaụlọ, ịgọ ọgọ, nwanwa/nwadiala, ịgba ndụ, ịgba orikọ

(d) Abamaba - Mmọnwụ,Ọkọnkọ, Ekpe, Ọmabe, Odo, Dibịa.

(e) Ewumewu akụnaụba – ike ekpe, iri ekpe, ala na ihe dị na ya.

(f) Akaọrụ - ịkpụ ụzụ, ịgba nta, ịkụ azụ, ọrụugbo, ịkwa nka, ịkpụ ite, dg.

(g) Ewumewu ofufe - ịgba afa, ịchụ aja, dg.

(h) Ngwa ofufe - ọfọ, ikenga, okpesi, ogu, ọtọnsi , dg

(i) Ihe ofufe - Ndịichie, Arụsị, Ikenga, Ala, Mmụọ mmiri, Arụsị/ Agbara dịka Ogwugwu, Ahịajiọkụ, Agwụ, Amadịọha, Kamalụ, Agbala, Ibini Ụkpabị, Ojukwu, Igwekaala, Idemmili, dg.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS FOR WASCCE IGBO

Year	Prose	Poetry	Drama
1981 - 83	Oral Omalinze Written Urunwa Obinna	Abu Na EgwuregwuQdinala Akpa Uche Eke Nne	Obidiya
1987	Written Chinagorom	Abu Na Egwuregwuodinala Utara Nta	Ugomma
1988	Written Obiefuna	AkpaUche	AkuFechaa
1989	Written Uwaezuoke	AkpaUche	Akufechaa
1990	Written Uwadiegwu	Nkemakolam	Obidiya
1998 - 2000	Oral Oka Mgba Written Dinta OkpaAkuEriEri	MbemnaEgwu Igbo Akubundu AkpaUche	Onwukube OkweAgbaala
2002 - 2005	Oral omalinze Written Juochi/Adaeze	Abx Na Egwuregwuodinala Utara Nta EchicheMiri Emi	UdoKaMma Aju Obi
2006- 2010	Oral Oka Mgba Written Iheojoo GbaaAfa	Abu Akwamozu Echiche	NwataBulieNnaYaElu
2011 - 2015	Oral Mbediogu Written UjaDufuo Dike	Abu Na Egwuregwu Uche Bu Akpa	Aturu Ga-EpuMpi