The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) External, with 71.63 per cent of candidates obtaining five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics — the key requirement for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, by the Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Professor Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, during a press briefing at the council’s headquarters in Minna.
Providing a statistical breakdown of the examination, Prof. Wushishi stated:
“A total of 96,979 candidates registered for the 2025 SSCE External examination, out of which 95,160 candidates sat for the examination across 16 subjects.”
Speaking on candidates’ performance in core subjects, he said:
“Of the 93,425 candidates who sat for English Language, 73,167 candidates, representing 78.32 per cent, obtained credit passes and above.”
He continued:
“Similarly, 93,330 candidates sat for Mathematics, and 85,256 of them, representing 91.35 per cent, secured credit passes and above. This shows an impressive performance, particularly in Mathematics.”
On the critical benchmark used for higher education admission, the NECO Registrar emphasized:
“A total of 68,166 candidates, representing 71.63 per cent, obtained five credits and above including English Language and Mathematics. In addition, 82,082 candidates, which is 86.26 per cent, secured five credits and above irrespective of English and Mathematics.”
The SSCE External examination is designed mainly for private candidates and individuals seeking to improve previous results outside the regular school examination cycle.
Concerns Over Examination Malpractice
Despite the impressive performance statistics, Prof. Wushishi raised serious concerns about examination malpractice recorded during the exercise.
“A total of 9,016 candidates were booked for various forms of examination malpractice during the examination. This represents an increase of 31.7 per cent compared to the 6,160 cases recorded in 2024.”
He disclosed that strict disciplinary measures had been recommended against those involved:
“Five supervisors — two from the Federal Capital Territory and one each from Kano, Adamawa, and Ondo States — have been recommended for blacklisting for their involvement in aiding malpractice.”
“Furthermore, four examination centres — two in Niger State, one in Yobe State, and one in Kano State — have been recommended for derecognition due to their involvement in mass malpractice.”
Financial Concerns and Institutional Support
The NECO boss also touched on financial challenges facing the council, noting outstanding debts owed by state governments.
“NECO is currently owed less than two billion naira by the 36 states in registration fees. This requires urgent attention to ensure the smooth operation of the council.”
He acknowledged the support of the Federal Government toward sustaining the credibility of national examinations.
Examination Timeline and Result Access
Prof. Wushishi disclosed that the examination was conducted between November 26 and December 13, 2025, while marking took place from January 5 to January 21, 2026. The results were released 52 days after the last paper.
He concluded by urging candidates to access their results using their registration details and reaffirmed NECO’s commitment to credible and transparent assessment.
“NECO remains committed to maintaining the integrity, fairness, and credibility of its examination system for the benefit of Nigerian students and the education sector at large.”
