Reportedly, about 58,187 pupils sat for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) on Saturday, conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) for admission into Federal Government Colleges, popularly known as Unity Schools, across Nigeria.
The figure represents a decline from the 64,578 candidates who registered for the examination in 2025, according to NECO Registrar, Professor Ibrahim Wushishi.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja after monitoring the exercise alongside the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, Wushishi disclosed that female candidates accounted for the majority of this year’s registrations, with over 31,000 girls participating compared to about 26,000 boys.
He attributed the development to ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to promote girl-child education and expand access to learning opportunities for young girls across the country.
“The higher number of female candidates reflects the impact of policies and programmes aimed at encouraging girl-child education. It is an indication that these interventions are yielding positive results,” Wushishi said.
The NECO Registrar noted that reports received from examination centres nationwide indicated that the exercise was conducted smoothly, with no major incidents recorded.
Minister Commends Conduct of Examination
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, expressed satisfaction with the organisation of the examination after inspecting selected centres in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The monitoring team visited Model Secondary School, Maitama; Government Science Technical College, Garki; and Federal Government Boys’ College, Garki.
According to the minister, candidates were orderly, properly supervised and commenced the examination as scheduled.
“We have visited three centres and I am pleased with the level of organisation. The candidates were well seated, examination materials were available, and the exercise started on time,” she said.
Ahmad also revealed that officials verified registration records and found compliance with the age requirements stipulated for candidates seeking admission into Federal Government Colleges.
Concern Over Absentee Candidates
Despite the generally successful conduct of the examination, the minister expressed concern over the number of absentee candidates observed in some centres.
She disclosed that about 18 candidates were absent from one of the examination halls visited, stressing the need for education authorities to investigate the reasons behind the absenteeism.
“While the examination has been largely successful, we observed a number of absentees and it is important to understand the factors responsible for this trend,” she noted.
Lagos Tops Registration, Taraba Records Lowest
Data released by NECO showed significant variations in candidate turnout across states.
Lagos State recorded the highest number of registrations with 13,228 candidates, underscoring its position as the country’s most populous state and one of its largest educational hubs.
In contrast, Taraba State recorded the lowest number of candidates, with only 15 pupils registered for the examination.
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to improving educational infrastructure and creating a conducive learning environment across the country, particularly in public schools.
The National Common Entrance Examination serves as the gateway for admission into Nigeria’s network of Federal Government Colleges, which were established to promote national integration and provide quality secondary education to students from diverse backgrounds.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
