South-west tops NECO SSCE result performance as 58.67% score five credits
The National Examinations Council, NECO, has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE Internal, with 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtaining at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, announced the results on Thursday at a news conference held at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.
Wushishi said 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females, while 1,371,992 candidates, made up of 678,903 males and 693,089 females, eventually sat for the examination.
According to him, 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained five credits and above irrespective of their performance in English Language and Mathematics. However, 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including both subjects.
The examination was conducted across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as in 6 foreign countries: Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia.
The registrar said the results were released 63 days after the conclusion of the examination following the completion of marking, verification and quality assurance processes.
Wushishi described the 2026 examination cycle as one of the most challenging for the council, saying it tested NECO’s systems, processes and readiness.
He also announced a significant reduction in examination malpractice, saying 1,406 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractice in 2026, compared with 3,878 candidates recorded in 2025. He said this represented a 64.74 per cent reduction.
According to him, the decline was attributed to sustained efforts to strengthen examination security and quality assurance, including the deployment of technology such as Computer-Based Examination.
On performance by geopolitical zones, Wushishi said the South-West recorded the highest proportion of candidates who obtained five credits and above, irrespective of their performance in English Language and Mathematics, with 24.60 per cent.
The North-West followed with 22.10 per cent, North-Central 19.00 per cent, North-East 14.70 per cent, South-South 10.53 per cent and South-East 9.07 per cent.
At the state level, Kano recorded the highest number of candidates who obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, with 74,413 candidates, followed by Lagos with 72,496 and Oyo with 55,543.
Wushishi said the detailed statistical tables also provided separate data on performance by geopolitical zone, state, gender and candidates who obtained five credits and above, with or without English Language and Mathematics.
The registrar further disclosed that 1,334 candidates with special needs participated in the 2026 SSCE Internal. The figure included candidates with hearing and visual impairments, albinism, autism, low vision and adermatoglyphia.
He assured candidates, parents, schools and other stakeholders that NECO would continue to uphold the integrity and credibility of its examinations.
Wushishi also appreciated the Federal Government, security agencies and other institutions for their support during the examination and urged candidates to access their results through the NECO website using their examination registration numbers.