The National Examinations Council (NECO) has explained why it took 63 days to release the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Interna

Nigerianewslite

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has explained why it took 63 days to release the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal.

Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, said the results were released 63 days after the examination ended because the council had to complete the processes of marking, verification and quality assurance.

Wushishi explained this on Thursday at a news conference held at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State, where he announced the release of the 2026 SSCE Internal results.

He said the 2026 examination cycle was one of the most challenging for the council, adding that it tested its systems, processes and readiness.

The examination was conducted from June 15 to September 4, 2026, 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.

According to Wushishi, a total of 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females.

He said 1,371,992 candidates eventually sat for the examination, comprising 678,903 males and 693,089 females.

Wushishi disclosed that 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent of those who sat for the examination, obtained five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

He, however, said 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

The NECO boss also addressed examination malpractice, saying the council recorded 1,406 cases in 2026.

He said the figure represented a 64.74 per cent decrease from the 3,878 cases recorded in 2025.

Wushishi attributed the reduction to the council’s efforts to strengthen examination security and quality assurance.

He said the council remained committed to ensuring that certificates issued to candidates reflected their true academic performance and were not obtained through impersonation, manipulation or other forms of examination malpractice.

Wushishi also disclosed that 1,334 candidates with special needs participated in the examination.

He said the figure included 640 candidates with hearing impairment, 149 with visual impairment, 84 with albinism, 94 with autism, 136 with low vision and 231 candidates with adermatoglyphia.

The NECO registrar formally declared the 2026 SSCE Internal results released to the public and urged candidates to continue their academic pursuits with renewed hope and determination.

He expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, for their support for the council.

He also commended security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), as well as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other institutions for their support during the examination.

Wushishi said candidates could access their results through the NECO website using their examination registration numbers.

He assured stakeholders that the council would continue to uphold the integrity and credibility of its examinations.