Zulum Approves ₦565.7m To Pay 2026 Exam Fees For 28,789 Students

Borno State Government has released ₦565.7 million to cover the 2026 external examination fees of 28,789 final-year students in public secondary schools across the state’s 27 local government areas.

Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, disclosed this on Friday during the symbolic presentation of cheques at the conference hall of the Ministry’s Workhub, Quality Assurance Office, Maiduguri.

The payment covers candidates who sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examinations, and the Senior Islamic Studies Examination (SISE).

Engr. Wakilbe said the intervention has transformed examination administration in public schools by ensuring students receive their results simultaneously with their counterparts in private institutions.

“Today, public school students receive their examination results at the same time as their counterparts in private schools, promoting fairness and equal opportunity,” Wakilbe said.

He added that Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration has continued to ease the financial burden on parents through substantial subsidies for examination registration.

“The Borno State Government continues to subsidise 75 percent of WASSCE and SISE registration fees, and 70 percent of NABTEB fees, for eligible students in public schools,” he added.

The Commissioner further disclosed that, for the first time, students of Higher Islamic Colleges are benefiting from the state’s examination fee support through the Senior Islamic Studies Examination (SISE), describing the initiative as another milestone in broadening access to quality education.

According to him, the initiative aligns with Governor Zulum’s vision of formally integrating the Sangaya education system into Borno’s mainstream education framework, ensuring that every child, irrespective of educational background, has equal opportunity to succeed.

Wakilbe revealed that since Governor Zulum assumed office in 2019, the state government has spent ₦4.71 billion on external examination fees, benefiting 193,963 students across Borno State.

He noted that the sustained investment has eliminated the long-standing disparity that previously delayed the release of examination results for public school candidates compared to those in private schools.

Speaking on behalf of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the Officer-in-Charge of the Maiduguri Office, Dr. A. I. Akanimoh, expressed appreciation to Governor Zulum for the timely release of funds.

He described the intervention as a reflection of the administration’s unwavering commitment to education, noting that it would enable thousands of students to sit for their examinations without financial constraints.

The highlight of the event was the symbolic presentation of three cheques on behalf of Governor Zulum to the examination bodies: ₦558.13 million to WAEC for the 2026 WASSCE registration fees; ₦4.58 million to NABTEB for technical examination candidates; and
₦3.03 million to the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) for candidates sitting the Senior Islamic Studies Examination.

In a related development, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, commissioned and officially handed over the newly completed permanent office of the National Examinations Council (NECO) in Maiduguri.

The ceremony took place at the new NECO office located at Moduganari Junction along the Maiduguri–Jos Road, where the Governor was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe.

Wakilbe said the facility, donated by the Borno State Government, occupies a 4,500-square-meter site within the premises of the Mustapha Umar El-Kanemi Azhar College and is expected to strengthen examination administration and improve educational service delivery across the state.

The new complex comprises a story building with eight offices, an examination strong room, a conference hall, ten conveniences, and is fully landscaped and powered by solar energy.

Responding, the NECO Zonal Director, Mrs. Deborah C. Rukop, thanked Governor Zulum for completing and commissioning the permanent NECO State Office after the project had remained abandoned for more than a decade.

“The completion and commissioning of this permanent office after more than a decade of abandonment is a landmark achievement that will significantly enhance NECO’s operations and service delivery in Borno State,” she said.

The event was attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hajiya Yakaru Mustapha, alongside directors, senior ministry officials and representatives of the various examination bodies.