NECO Records 35m Candidates In 25 Years

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has disclosed that over 35 million candidates have participated in its various examinations over the past 25 years.

Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Professor Dantani Wushishi, stated this during the Gala and Awards Night held as part of activities marking the Council’s 25th anniversary celebration in Minna.

At the event, the former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Emeritus Professor Dibu Ojerinde was also honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ojerinde was the pioneer Registrar of NECO between 1999 and 2007.

Speaking on the theme: “Celebrating 25 Years of NECO’s Excellence in Educational Assessment,” Wushishi said the Council was established on July 10, 1999, following years of public demand for a credible, efficient, and nationally responsive examination body.

According to him, the creation of NECO was the outcome of recommendations by several government panels and committees between 1977 and 1997, all of which emphasized the need for a national examination institution capable of meeting the growing educational needs of Nigerians.

“Over the last 25 years, our work has touched the lives of almost 35 million Nigerians through various examinations. This reflects the trust reposed in NECO and our unwavering commitment to fairness, credibility, and integrity in examination administration,” he said.

The registrar noted that the silver jubilee celebration was not only an opportunity to celebrate institutional milestones, but also a moment for reflection, recognition, and renewed commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in educational assessment.

He reaffirmed NECO’s resolve to sustain high standards in examination administration through the adoption of modern technology, stronger stakeholder collaboration, and investments in human capital and institutional processes.

As part of the anniversary celebration, NECO conferred its highest honour, the Lifetime Achievement Award, on Emeritus Professor Dibu Ojerinde in recognition of his visionary leadership and foundational role in establishing and stabilizing the Council during its formative years.

The award, according to the Council, is reserved for individuals whose contributions have created enduring institutional legacies and strengthened national assessment standards.

NECO also honoured top-performing schools in its Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal since inception.

Among the awardees were Dority International Early Learning School, which emerged as the overall best-performing secondary school, Federal Government Academy in second place, and Air Force Comprehensive School in third place.

In the state performance category, Douye Diri was recognized on behalf of Bayelsa State as the state with the highest percentage of candidates who obtained five credits and above in NECO SSCE Internal examinations since inception.

Dapo Abiodun and Monday Okpebholo were also honoured for the performances of Ogun State and Edo State respectively.

Similarly, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was recognized for Lagos State recording the highest number of registered candidates in NECO SSCE Internal examinations since inception, while Uba Sani and Seyi Makinde were honoured for the performances of Kaduna State and Oyo State.