Professor Dantani Wushishi, NECO’s Registrar/Chief Executive, announced the 2026 SSCE Internal results at the Council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State, on September 24, 2026.
The 2026 examination was conducted across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as six foreign countries—Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia. The examination period spanned from June 15 to July 23, 2026, while the nationwide marking exercise took place between August 17 and September 4, 2026. A total of 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females, with 1,371,992 candidates ultimately sitting for the exam. NECO reported that 1,334 candidates with special needs participated in the examination, with the Council making provisions to ensure inclusiveness in its processes.
Wushishi credited improved monitoring, collaboration with security agencies, and enhanced examination processes for the reduction. The Registrar/Chief Executive also expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, the Minister of Education, the Minister of State for Education, the NECO Governing Board, the National Assembly, security agencies, state governments, educational institutions, and other stakeholders for their support. He commended NECO staff for their dedication and urged candidates to remain focused on their academic pursuits.
Kano’s Dominance in NECO Results
Kano State has emerged as the leading state in the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination conducted by the National Examinations Council, with 74,413 candidates obtaining at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics. This marked the second consecutive year Kano topped the rankings, surpassing Lagos (72,496) and Oyo (55,543), as reported by the National Examinations Council. Governor Abba Yusuf praised the results, attributing them to sustained investment in education, including N4.4bn allocated in 2026 to sponsor indigent students and improve learning infrastructure.
The governor pledged continued support, stating, Our government spent more than N4.4bn in 2026 to sponsor candidates for the Senior School Certificate Examination, particularly indigent students, to remove financial barriers to participation.
He added that the investment extended to classroom renovation, teacher recruitment and training, learning materials, uniforms, and scholarships.
Kano tops states with five-credit passes in 2026 NECO
The governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, noted that Kano’s education sector had received one of the largest allocations under Yusuf’s administration, with the state recording more than five million schoolchildren in the latest annual school census. Yusuf dedicated the latest NECO performance to students, teachers, parents, and residents of the state, while pledging to sustain interventions aimed at improving learning outcomes. This achievement belongs to our students, teachers, parents and the good people of Kano State,
the governor said.
Reduced Examination Malpractice
Wushishi credited improved monitoring, collaboration with security agencies, and enhanced examination processes for the reduction. The 2026 exam was conducted across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as six foreign countries—Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia, with marking completed by September 4, 2026.
Arewa Think Tank Hails Kano Governor on NECO Results
Arewa Think Tank Commends Kano’s Leadership
The Arewa Think Tank praised Kano state governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, for the state’s academic performance, citing “fantastic” results in the NECO exams. Convener Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu stated that the group’s independent review confirmed the credibility of Yusuf’s achievements. The group also commended the governor for a series of awards and recognitions on account of his administration’s achievements across key sectors.
In a release by the spokesperson of the governor, Sunusi Bature, on September 24 in Kano, the recognitions were presented during the 41st Executive Council Meeting held at the Governor’s Lodge, Aminu Kano House, Abuja. The recognitions included Award of Excellence
by the Northwest Veteran Foundation, BusinessDay’s Governor of the Year Award,
Award of Excellence
by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during its National Day celebration, and an award from the National Qur’anic Memorisation Association. Other recognitions included an award from the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS) for the state’s performance in revenue generation, an Award of Excellence
from the Forum of Islamic Secretaries of Kano State’s 44 local government areas, and recognition from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), among others.
The statement quoted the governor saying, The recognitions followed assessments of physical development projects and other initiatives
being implemented by his administration, as well as efforts to strengthen accountability and transparency in governance.
Wushishi formally declared the 2026 SSCE Internal results released, saying candidates can access their results through the NECO website using their examination registration numbers. He urged candidates to remain focused on their academic pursuits, while assuring stakeholders that NECO would continue to uphold the credibility, fairness, and integrity of its examinations.