- He said NECO remained committed to maintaining transparency, fairness and credibility in the administration of the examination
- Ahmad noted that candidates were properly arranged, adequately supervised
- Data from the examination showed that Lagos State recorded the highest number of registered candidates with 13,228 entries
A total of 58,187 pupils participated in the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) held across Nigeria on Saturday for admission into Federal Government College
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the figure was disclosed by Ibrahim Wushishi, Registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO), during an assessment visit to examination centres in Abuja alongside the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad.
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According to Wushishi, this year’s registration figure represents a decline from the 64,578 candidates who sat for the examination in 2025.
Despite the drop in overall participation, female candidates recorded a higher turnout than males. The NECO registrar revealed that over 31,000 girls registered for the examination, compared to approximately 26,000 boys.
He attributed the development to ongoing efforts aimed at promoting access to education for girls, noting that the trend reflects progress in initiatives supporting female participation in schooling.
Wushishi also expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination nationwide, stating that reports received from various states indicated that the exercise proceeded smoothly without any major disruptions.
He said NECO remained committed to maintaining transparency, fairness and credibility in the administration of the examination, which serves as the entry route into Junior Secondary School One of Federal Government Colleges.
During the monitoring exercise, the Minister of State for Education commended the level of organisation observed at the centres visited.
Ahmad noted that candidates were properly arranged, adequately supervised and began their papers according to schedule.
She added that officials also reviewed registration records and found that the prescribed age requirements for candidates had largely been followed.
While expressing satisfaction with the conduct of the examination, the minister raised concerns over the number of registered candidates who failed to appear at some centres.
According to her, one examination hall recorded about 18 absentees, a situation she said requires further investigation to determine the reasons behind the absence of the candidates.
She explained that identifying the factors responsible could help authorities address potential challenges that may discourage participation in future examinations.
The minister further observed that the schools visited were equipped with facilities necessary for the smooth conduct of the exercise and reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to improving educational infrastructure nationwide.
Data from the examination showed that Lagos State recorded the highest number of registered candidates with 13,228 entries, while Taraba State had the lowest figure with just 15 candidates.
As part of the monitoring exercise, education officials visited several examination centres, including Model Secondary School, Maitama; Government Science Technical College, Garki; and Federal Government Boys’ College, Garki, all located in Abuja.
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