58.67% of NECO candidates secure five credits including English, Maths

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced that 58.67 per cent of candidates who sat for the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.

The result means that 804,948 candidates met the benchmark, out of the 1,371,992 candidates who sat for the examination.

NECO Registrar, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, announced the results on Thursday at a press conference in Minna, Niger State, 63 days after the last paper was written.

A total of 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, which was conducted between June 15 and July 23, 2026.

Beyond the key English and Mathematics benchmark, NECO reported that 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained five credits and above irrespective of their performance in the two subjects.

The results also showed a significant reduction in examination malpractice compared with the previous year.

According to Wushishi, 1,406 candidates were involved in various forms of examination malpractice in 2026, compared with 3,878 candidates in 2025.

This represents a 64.74 per cent decline in the number of candidates involved in malpractice.

The registrar attributed the improvement partly to increased vigilance and collaboration with security agencies during the examination.

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He specifically commended the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) for their presence and support, saying their efforts helped strengthen discipline, deter examination malpractice and safeguard the integrity of the exercise.

Wushishi also thanked President Bola Tinubu for reappointing him for a second term as NECO registrar and expressed appreciation to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for his confidence in the council’s leadership.

The registrar reaffirmed NECO’s commitment to maintaining the credibility of its examinations and improving the conduct of future exercises.

The 58.67 per cent pass rate based on the five-credit benchmark including English Language and Mathematics means that about four in every 10 candidates who sat for the examination did not meet that particular threshold, highlighting the continued importance of performance in the two core subjects for candidates seeking to satisfy common admission requirements.