Are you looking for WAEC Biology questions and answers 2026? You are in the right place. While no one can predict the exact questions WAEC will set, we can identify the most likely questions based on patterns from 24 years of past papers (2000–2023).
WAEC consistently tests the same core concepts, often rewording questions or presenting them in slightly different formats. By practicing these likely questions, you prepare yourself for whatever WAEC throws at you.
Below are 50 likely objective questions and 5 likely essay questions with detailed answers.
Section A: Likely Objective Questions (Paper 1)
Cell Biology (Questions 1–10)
1. The cell organelle that contains digestive enzymes is the:
(a) Ribosome (b) Lysosome (c) Mitochondrion (d) Golgi body
Answer: (b) Lysosome — Lysosomes break down worn-out cell parts and foreign materials.
2. The process by which molecules move from a region of high concentration to low concentration without energy is:
(a) Active transport (b) Osmosis (c) Diffusion (d) Endocytosis
Answer: (c) Diffusion — It is a passive process requiring no energy.
3. A red blood cell placed in a hypotonic solution will:
(a) Shrink (b) Remain the same (c) Swell and burst (d) Become flaccid
Answer: (c) Swell and burst — Water enters by osmosis, causing haemolysis.
4. During which stage of mitosis do chromosomes align at the cell’s equator?
(a) Prophase (b) Metaphase (c) Anaphase (d) Telophase
Answer: (b) Metaphase
5. The significance of meiosis includes:
(a) Growth and repair (b) Production of identical cells (c) Introduction of genetic variation (d) Maintenance of diploid number
Answer: (c) Introduction of genetic variation — Through crossing over and independent assortment.
6. Which of the following is NOT a function of the cell membrane?
(a) Protein synthesis (b) Selective permeability (c) Cell recognition (d) Protection
Answer: (a) Protein synthesis — This is the function of ribosomes.
7. The organelle common to both plant and animal cells is the:
(a) Cell wall (b) Chloroplast (c) Mitochondrion (d) Large central vacuole
Answer: (c) Mitochondrion
8. Plasmolysis in a plant cell occurs when:
(a) The cell is placed in pure water (b) The cell is placed in a hypertonic solution (c) The cell is placed in an isotonic solution (d) The cell divides
Answer: (b) Placed in a hypertonic solution — Water leaves the cell, causing the membrane to pull away from the cell wall.
9. The phase of mitosis characterized by the separation of chromatids is:
(a) Prophase (b) Metaphase (c) Anaphase (d) Telophase
Answer: (c) Anaphase
10. Active transport differs from diffusion in that active transport:
(a) Requires no energy (b) Moves substances along the concentration gradient (c) Requires energy and moves substances against the concentration gradient (d) Only occurs in plant cells
Answer: (c)
Ecology (Questions 11–18)
11. In the food chain: Grass → Grasshopper → Lizard → Snake → Hawk, the secondary consumer is the:
(a) Grass (b) Grasshopper (c) Lizard (d) Snake
Answer: (c) Lizard — The secondary consumer eats the primary consumer.
12. The relationship between a tapeworm and its human host is:
(a) Mutualism (b) Commensalism (c) Parasitism (d) Predation
Answer: (c) Parasitism — The tapeworm benefits while the human is harmed.
13. Which factor is NOT abiotic?
(a) Temperature (b) Rainfall (c) Bacteria (d) Light
Answer: (c) Bacteria — Bacteria are living organisms (biotic).
14. Eutrophication of a water body is caused by:
(a) Excess oxygen (b) Excess nutrients from fertilizer runoff (c) Increased water temperature (d) Oil spills
Answer: (b) Excess nutrients — Leading to algal bloom and oxygen depletion.
15. The process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into nitrates is:
(a) Denitrification (b) Nitrogen fixation (c) Ammonification (d) Nitrification
Answer: (b) Nitrogen fixation
16. An instrument used to collect small crawling organisms from leaf litter is the:
(a) Sweep net (b) Pitfall trap (c) Quadrat (d) Secchi disc
Answer: (b) Pitfall trap
17. The ozone layer protects organisms from:
(a) Infrared radiation (b) Ultraviolet radiation (c) Visible light (d) X-rays
Answer: (b) Ultraviolet radiation
18. Game reserves are important for:
(a) Hunting animals (b) Conservation of wildlife (c) Deforestation (d) Mining
Answer: (b) Conservation of wildlife
Genetics & Reproduction (Questions 19–28)
19. In the cross Tt × Tt, the percentage of offspring that will be short (tt) is:
(a) 0% (b) 25% (c) 50% (d) 75%
Answer: (b) 25%
20. Blood group AB is an example of:
(a) Complete dominance (b) Incomplete dominance (c) Codominance (d) Epistasis
Answer: (c) Codominance — Both I^A and I^B alleles are fully expressed.
21. The universal blood donor has blood group:
(a) A (b) B (c) AB (d) O
Answer: (d) O — Group O has no antigens, so it doesn’t trigger immune reactions.
22. Sex-linked traits are more commonly expressed in males because:
(a) Males have two X chromosomes (b) Males have only one X chromosome (c) Males produce more testosterone (d) Males are stronger
Answer: (b) — Males have only one X, so recessive alleles on the X are always expressed.
23. The type of pollination that increases genetic variation is:
(a) Self-pollination (b) Cross-pollination (c) Wind pollination (d) Water pollination
Answer: (b) Cross-pollination — Because it involves two different parent plants.
24. The part of a seed that develops into the shoot is the:
(a) Radicle (b) Plumule (c) Testa (d) Cotyledon
Answer: (b) Plumule
25. Conditions necessary for seed germination include all EXCEPT:
(a) Water (b) Oxygen (c) Suitable temperature (d) Light in all cases
Answer: (d) — Not all seeds require light for germination.
26. A mutation is:
(a) A normal cell division (b) A sudden change in the genetic material (c) The crossing over of chromosomes (d) The formation of gametes
Answer: (b)
27. The hormone responsible for the development of secondary sexual characteristics in males is:
(a) Estrogen (b) Progesterone (c) Testosterone (d) Insulin
Answer: (c) Testosterone
28. Ovulation occurs on approximately day __ of the menstrual cycle:
(a) 1 (b) 7 (c) 14 (d) 28
Answer: (c) 14
Human Biology (Questions 29–40)
29. The enzyme in saliva that digests starch is:
(a) Pepsin (b) Trypsin (c) Salivary amylase (d) Lipase
Answer: (c) Salivary amylase
30. Bile is produced by the __ and stored in the __:
(a) Pancreas, stomach (b) Liver, gallbladder (c) Stomach, intestine (d) Gallbladder, liver
Answer: (b) Liver, gallbladder
31. The valve between the left atrium and left ventricle is the:
(a) Tricuspid valve (b) Bicuspid valve (c) Semi-lunar valve (d) Aortic valve
Answer: (b) Bicuspid valve (also called mitral valve)
32. The component of blood that transports oxygen is:
(a) Plasma (b) White blood cells (c) Red blood cells (d) Platelets
Answer: (c) Red blood cells — Through hemoglobin.
33. The waste product of protein metabolism excreted by the kidney is:
(a) Carbon dioxide (b) Glucose (c) Urea (d) Bile
Answer: (c) Urea
34. The hormone that controls water reabsorption in the kidney is:
(a) Insulin (b) ADH (c) Adrenaline (d) Thyroxine
Answer: (b) ADH — Antidiuretic hormone.
35. The part of the ear responsible for balance is the:
(a) Cochlea (b) Eustachian tube (c) Semicircular canals (d) Pinna
Answer: (c) Semicircular canals
36. Short-sightedness (myopia) is corrected using a:
(a) Convex lens (b) Concave lens (c) Bifocal lens (d) Cylindrical lens
Answer: (b) Concave lens — It diverges light to focus the image on the retina.
37. The deficiency disease caused by lack of vitamin D is:
(a) Scurvy (b) Rickets (c) Beriberi (d) Pellagra
Answer: (b) Rickets — Causes soft, weak bones in children.
38. The pathway of a reflex arc is:
(a) Effector → motor neuron → relay neuron → sensory neuron → receptor
(b) Receptor → sensory neuron → relay neuron → motor neuron → effector
(c) Receptor → motor neuron → relay neuron → sensory neuron → effector
(d) Sensory neuron → receptor → relay neuron → effector → motor neuron
Answer: (b)
39. The ball-and-socket joint is found at the:
(a) Knee (b) Elbow (c) Shoulder (d) Wrist
Answer: (c) Shoulder — Also at the hip.
40. Peristalsis is the:
(a) Absorption of food in the ileum (b) Wave-like muscular contractions in the alimentary canal (c) Secretion of enzymes (d) Breakdown of food by enzymes
Answer: (b)
Mixed Topics (Questions 41–50)
41. The disease transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito is:
(a) Cholera (b) Typhoid (c) Malaria (d) Tuberculosis
Answer: (c) Malaria
42. The vector for sleeping sickness is:
(a) Housefly (b) Tsetse fly (c) Blackfly (d) Mosquito
Answer: (b) Tsetse fly
43. Darwin’s theory of evolution is based on:
(a) Inheritance of acquired characteristics (b) Natural selection (c) Use and disuse of organs (d) Spontaneous generation
Answer: (b) Natural selection
44. A vestigial organ in humans is the:
(a) Heart (b) Appendix (c) Kidney (d) Liver
Answer: (b) Appendix
45. The type of skeleton found in earthworms is:
(a) Exoskeleton (b) Endoskeleton (c) Hydrostatic skeleton (d) Cartilaginous skeleton
Answer: (c) Hydrostatic skeleton
46. The process by which yeast converts glucose to ethanol and carbon dioxide is:
(a) Aerobic respiration (b) Photosynthesis (c) Fermentation (d) Decomposition
Answer: (c) Fermentation — This is anaerobic respiration in yeast.
47. The food test that gives a blue-black color in the presence of starch is the:
(a) Benedict’s test (b) Biuret test (c) Iodine test (d) Emulsion test
Answer: (c) Iodine test
48. A monocotyledonous plant has:
(a) Network venation (b) Parallel venation (c) Two cotyledons (d) Vascular bundles in a ring
Answer: (b) Parallel venation
49. The organism that transmits river blindness is the:
(a) Mosquito (b) Tsetse fly (c) Blackfly (d) Housefly
Answer: (c) Blackfly (Simulium)
50. The binomial system of nomenclature was introduced by:
(a) Charles Darwin (b) Gregor Mendel (c) Carolus Linnaeus (d) Robert Hooke
Answer: (c) Carolus Linnaeus
Section B: Likely Essay Questions (Paper 2)
Essay Question 1: Ecology
“(a) Describe the carbon cycle. (b) State three effects of deforestation on the carbon cycle.”
[Refer to our detailed article on ecology or watch the full video lesson at NaijaBiologyTips.site]
Essay Question 2: Genetics
“(a) Explain Mendel’s First Law of Inheritance. (b) A man with blood group B married a woman with blood group A. Show with a genetic cross how they could have a child with blood group O.”
Essay Question 3: Excretion
“(a) Describe the process of urine formation in the mammalian kidney. (b) State four differences between excretion and egestion.”
Essay Question 4: Nutrition
“(a) Describe the digestion of a starchy food from the mouth to the ileum. (b) State three adaptations of the ileum for absorption.”
Essay Question 5: Reproduction
“(a) Describe the structure of a named insect-pollinated flower. (b) State four differences between wind-pollinated and insect-pollinated flowers.”
How to Use These Questions
- Attempt all 50 objective questions under timed conditions (50 minutes)
- Score yourself and identify weak topics
- Study those weak topics using our video lessons
- Reattempt after one week to track improvement
- For essay questions, practice writing full answers within 30 minutes each
Want More? Get 24 Years of Past Questions Explained in Video
These 50 questions are just a sample. At NaijaBiologyTips, we have explained every WAEC Biology question from 2000 to 2023 — over 1,000 questions — in clear, step-by-step video format.
👉 Access all video explanations at NaijaBiologyTips.site
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