The National Examinations Council has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination Internal, with more than 800,000 candidates securing at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
A total of 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent of those who sat for the examination, met the benchmark.
The results were announced on Thursday by the NECO Registrar, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, during a press briefing in Minna, Niger State.
The 2026 SSCE Internal examination was conducted between June 15 and July 23, with the results released 63 days after the final paper.
According to Wushishi, 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, while 1,371,992 candidates eventually took part in the exercise.
Beyond the benchmark requiring credits in English Language and Mathematics, NECO said 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent of those who sat for the examination, obtained at least five credits in five subjects.
Malpractice Cases Fall Sharply
The council also reported a significant reduction in examination malpractice during the 2026 exercise.
Wushishi said 1,406 candidates were involved in various forms of examination malpractice, compared with 3,878 candidates recorded in 2025.
The figure represents a 64.74 per cent decrease in reported malpractice cases year-on-year.
The registrar attributed the improvement partly to measures adopted to strengthen supervision and maintain discipline during the examination.
He particularly acknowledged the contributions of security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to him, the agencies helped to maintain order at examination centres, deter misconduct and provide security support throughout the exercise.
Wushishi Thanks Tinubu, Education Minister
Wushishi also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his reappointment for a second term as NECO registrar.
He equally thanked the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for his support and confidence in the council’s leadership.
The registrar assured candidates, parents, schools and other stakeholders that NECO would continue to strengthen its examination processes and uphold standards in the conduct and assessment of its examinations.
He said the council remained committed to protecting the credibility of its examinations and ensuring that its mandate was carried out effectively.
